Death on the New Moon
by Lady Athenis
Summary: Crossover: Lady Death & Inuyasha. Lady Death, of Chaos! fame, accidently appears in Inuyasha's world. But just WHO is she, and why does she have a Jewel shard? Story involves movies & manga. Rated T: language & violence. DISCONTINUED. Thanks for reading
1. Her Departure

**_Author's note-- 10/02/2007: Death on the New Moon is on hiatus until further notice. The main Muse that inspired me to write this has gone dormant with it, and is pulling me into other areas. It is at a "nice ending point" right now until I decide what to do with it, and where it's going. I thank you all who have read and reviewed it so far. If you've enjoyed this story so far, please feel free to check out my other works here or on my Live Journal. The link to that can be found within my profile. _**

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_****Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. Inuyasha, his story, and all related characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and her affiliates. Lady Death is owned by her creator, Brian Pulido, and Avatar Press (tm) comics. This story, however, is an original from the Pantheon of my Muses. I am receiving no $$$ for this; it si for entertainment only. Your reviews are my payment. **

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**DEATH ON THE NEW MOON**

**Chapter 1.**

**Her Departure**

Inuyasha was fidgety. He sat by the edge of the fire, drumming his fingers on the scabbard of Tetsusaiga. He hadn't touched the meal in front of him, though it was something he relished. Ninja food. He had first eaten a sample of it offered to him by Kagome, and had looked forward to more of it on her return trips thru the Bone Eater's Well. She had been gone for two days already, and with this being the third day, she overdue in her return.

_(flashback: two days ago)_

"Inuyasha", she explained, "I must return to my time. It's finals at school, and if I'm ever going to have any chance of graduating, I must go."

She hated having to explain herself every time. _You think he would've gotten used to it by now._

"How long will you be gone?" he asked, trying not to sound too worried.

"Not long. Two days at the most. But I will be back, you know that." _Gee, what's with him? Why does he seem so worried? _She turned from her packing to see that indeed, he looked worried.

"What? What is it?" she said.

"Uh… nothing…" he said nervously, eyes darting away from her gaze. He felt a flush of heat as his cheeks blushed. _Damn, I'm not a very good liar._

"You know, you're not a very good liar." Kagome teasingly said. She had an unnerving way of being able to judge his moods now.

"It's just… well…" He still would not meet her gaze.

"You're stalling, Inuyasha. Just say it." Kagome was concerned about his behavior now.

"Uh…" he was fumbling for the words.

"JUST SAY IT!" She blurted aloud, clearly annoyed now. It was loud enough to draw from the others.

"All right already!" he retorted, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow.

"In three days is the New Moon. You know what happens…" He put emphasis on the word.

"Oh, is that all?" she blinked.

_She sounds so unconcerned! _He thought as an audible "fey" escaped his breath.

"Don't worry. I'll be back." She softened her gaze. Picking up her backpack, she laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I will be back before nightfall, on the third day. I promise." She said reassuringly.

He had turned his head away from her. _If she isn't concerned, then why look at her? _

The touch of her hand had caught him off guard. He turned to meet her warm brown eyes, but this time there was no flush of heat within him. _So much like Kikyo_ he thought.

"Ok, you know I don't like to become human, even if it's only one night, let alone admitting my vulnerability." He was calm at her touch.

"I know, and you needn't worry about my return," Again, reassuringly.

"Have I not done what I've said all these years we've known each other?" She said, eyeing him.

"That's not the point…" A slight worry in his voice again.

_Gods, at this rate, I won't get back in time to get ahead on my studying_. She thought to herself.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but there have been a lot more demons coming after the shards lately. We haven't seen and I haven't smelled Naraku either, but I wouldn't put it passed him to be up to something. He has done this before. And being that it's close to the New Moon, I wouldn't put it passed Kagura to have told him about me during that time, either. I won't be able to protect you, let alone myself. I just don't like it when you leave at this time especially." He explained.

"But we don't know for sure whether or not Kagura actually did see you as a human…" Kagome tried to steady his fears as well as her own. _But did she? Did Kagura notice? _She felt a tight knot in her stomach form.

"Inuyasha," Miroku finally said, "even if Kagome is late in returning, we are here with you. Sango, Kilala, myself, even Shippo-he's become quite the little warrior! We are here to help you and protect each other."

Such was the wisdom of the monk.

"Yeah, Inuyasha," the kitsune piped up, "have a little faith in your friends!"

Shippo had jumped on Inuyasha's head, bonking his skull to prove his point.

"Get off!" Inuyasha grabbed Shippo's tail. He held him out at arm's length, ready to drop the young fox demon on his head.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried.

"Ha! Not so tough when you're by the tail, huh?" Inuyasha started jiggling Shippo like a yo-yo.

"Inuyashaaaa…" Kagome said with a sweet tone.

"Owh! OWH!" Shippo didn't like this, being a fox yo-yo.

"Hehehe! Ahhahahaha!" Inuyasha was having too much fun now.

"Don't make me say it…" Kagome warned.

At this point, Miroku had cleared himself away. It was an all-too-familiar scene, and he knew what would occur next.

"Put me down, Inuyasha!" Shippo whined.

"Not a chance!" Inuyasha teased back, jerking Shippo by the tail harder now.

"SIT BOY!" Kagome yelled, stamping her foot. The prayer beads around his neck lit up, and _BAM! _Face plant to the ground. At least he was holding Shippo up when it happened.

"She did warn you." Miroku told Inuyasha.

"Serves you right!" Shippo yelled as he ran behind Sango and Kilala. He stuck out his tongue and raspberried.

"Urgh…" came the muffled sound from the crumpled hanyou.

"Honestly…" Kagome sighed, heaving her backpack onto each shoulder.

"You two had better get along while I'm gone, or no treats for either of you." She threatened.

"Hey-that's not fair!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Yeah," said Shippo. "What did I do?"

"You," she pointed a finger at Inuyasha, "don't need to treat him like a yo-yo!"

Shippo felt vindicated. He smirked.

"And you," she said, turning her gaze towards him.

"You don't need to bonk him on the head like that as to have him treat you like a yo-yo!"

She made her point, as Shippo's face grew blank.

"Now I'm leaving before I feel I have to play mother again. Geeze!" She started walking in the direction of the well, shaking her head.

"Wait Kagome, I'll walk you there." Sango said, looking over her shoulder and calling, "C'mon, Kilala!" The cat demon let out a low growl and transformed to her full form, offering the two girls a ride. Kagome and Sango climbed aboard. They waved goodbye to the group as Kilala raised upwards. Miroku waved, as did Shippo, but not Inuyasha. He merely gazed up their way while dusting himself off.

_(flash forward to the third day)_

"Inuyasha, are ye not hungry?" Lady Kaede asked.

"Wha?" Inuyasha snapped out of his trance of the fire.

"You have not touched you food. It is not like you to not eat, especially on the day of the New Moon." Kaede noticed this was out of character completely for him.

"I'm fine, old woman. I'm just… worried. There's something _different_ about the air today." Inuyasha finally picked up his food and started to pick at it.

_Where is she?_ He wondered.


	2. The Ruse

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death's story may notice some continuity discrepancies with timeline and/or objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 2.**

**The Ruse**

"You HELLSPAWN!"

"Oohh, temper, temper deary! Have you ever considered therapy for that?" _SNERK!_ A maniacal cackle came out. Pagan, Court Jester of Hell, had pissed off Lady Death again.

"You will pay, by the Abyss! How you will pay! Did you really think I wouldn't notice you slinking around my Endless Graveyard? What are you up to?"

The eyes of the pale woman flashed with anger. Blue-white energy formed around her fists and crackled as her anger built. She stood at the ready, in all of her six-foot-plus height. Long white hair cascading down her back and waving about her as her cloak also billowed from her energy. She wore next to nothing, save for a bikini-like top, thong bottom, garter belt, and a pair of stiletto-heeled thigh high boots, all of black leather. Golden skull heads adorned her top, a large one closing the center, as did more along the back of her thong and one in the front. Along the back of her boots, sharp spurs gleamed in her energy waves. Clusters of skulls dangled from her ears, framing her stark-white face. In fact, she was stark white. All of her. At her side was her most trusted weapon, Apocalypse. Forged from pure Chaos matter by her most trusted ally, Cremator. It had but one owner, and even she hadn't unlocked all of its secrets. There was no other sword like it, in any known universe.

This was Lady Death, and to know her story was to know a woman cursed…

"For 400 and more years, I've ruled here in Hell, with the Endless Graveyard being my creation. I know every level, the capital of Dis, the River Styx, the Malebodge, even the River of Fear. When I thrust Lucifer, the Father of Lies, thru Heaven's Gate, Hell became my domain. No one moves thru here without my noticing. NO ONE!"

A small energy wave surrounded her, and then dissipated as she waited a response.

"Ahh, yes… about that 'thrusting-thru-Heaven's-Gate' thing…" an evil grin crossed the Jester's face. He tapped his pointed chin tauntingly, eyes rolling in the direction of the Nexus of All Things. Not really thinking carefully. Was not in his nature. After all, he was Hellspawn.

"Well, out with it!" Lady Death gritted her teeth.

"Now, I'm not a tattle-tale. I don't give away secrets. But if you REALLY want to know… think of me as a leprechaun. Just try and catch me! BYE!"

_WHAMPH! _A smoke bomb had gone off. Pagan already had a good head start, fleeing upwards.

"Catch me if you caannnn!" He taunted Lady Death, mooning her before continuing.

"You Gehennan PUSS WORM!

The chase was on! Lady Death launched herself in the air after him, her face contorted in fury. _This time you will feel my wrath! _Levitation and flying were second nature to her, but she hadn't mastered teleportation. Pagan had the upper hand in that one. But despite the fact that he could zip in and out whenever (or wherever) he chose, he was not hard to spot. He stood a little less than five feet tall and was not easy to forget, on many levels. He wore an outfit of the typical court jester image, complete with the bells on his shoes and dangling from the three flops of his hat. The color of it was cinnamon red and day-glow green. There were archaic symbols on the front and back. That was one of three things that you'd recall most of him.

The other two were his face and his mannerism. He had a pointed chin, bulbous nose, and beady little eyes. He also had pointed growths jutting out from either side of his chin, and one from each cheek. Let's just face it- he was horny, and not in the amorous sense. He was not handsome and the color of his skin was a sickly ashen-green. He reminded one of a horned lizard, but with the manners of a New York cab driver.

He was, after all, Hellspawn.

"That's it, chickie-baby, follow me this way", he thought aloud, glancing over his shoulder.

_Damn, she's gaining on me! _Frantically, he decided the best action was that of the evasive. They were nearing the Nexus of All Things, a shining purple orb of infinite portals and possibilities just above Hell, and a trap was ready to be sprung. Pagan rolled over onto his back and stretched his arms out. Smoke clouds exploded out of his hands, one side, then the other. He didn't have much time if this was going to work. Flipping around to fly forward again, his target was in sight. The Nexus had turned the right portal towards them.

"Perfect! Target acquired!" He grinned wide. _Piss her off enough, and she'll follow her temper along like a trained dog!_

Lady Death had a hard time seeing thru the smoke clouds. Faint glimpses of Pagan appeared here and there as she flew towards what she thought was he. To the left, to the right, straight ahead, all the while mocking her. He even threw exploder clouds at her "just to shake her up a bit". Unbeknownst to her at the time, it was a ruse.

Pagan reached the Nexus' portal a few seconds before. He quickly amassed the smoke clouds in the front and slightly inside the portal. _Not too much, or it won't work!_

"Now for the money maker!" Rubbing his hands together, spitting inside each palm, and a fart for good measure, he closed his eyes and contracted every muscle hard. A mass formed off his side.

_SQUILCH! SHLURK! PLUP! _

"Oh look! It's twins! Aww, ain't he cute? He looks just like me!"

"Suck my hanger, frog snot! Where's the biotch?" the twin asked. A perfect copy, but not quite as sharp as the original.

"Git yer stinking carcass in there-she's coming!" Pagan shoved the twin inside the portal. _I can't believe this is gonna work! _Pagan ducked behind one of the clouds and waited. His twin cackled and snorted inside the portal rim.

"Hey, is this gonna hurt? Won't she-"

"Shut yer hole! Just stay in there! Oh and yeah, it's gonna hurt. Now back inside!" Pagan screeched.

"Kewl!" The twin raised his hands in the horns gesture. He slinked back inside the portal rim.

_C'mon, c'mon! Where is she? _Pagan wondered. No sooner had he thought this, a blur of blue-white energy flew by him at lightning speed.

"Keep going… keep going." He inched around the cloud to see the trail end of the energy wave. Lady Death had taken the bait. The Nexus' portal closed behind her, sealing her fate to the beyond.

"YES! Hell is mine now! See ya--NOT!" Pagan was doing cartwheels.

Inside the portal tunnel was dark, save for a small light at the end of a very long stretch.

"What? Where in the Seventh Level?" Lady Death stopped midway, looking around. She whipped her head behind her—blackness. The entrance was sealed tight. She remembered flying at her top speed, zipping thru and around smoke clouds, following the sound of insane laughter… _Wait! Where was Pagan?_

In the distance of the light, she could hear his taunts. The taunts of the ruse.

"Does this mean you're giving up? Taking your toys and going home? Chicken puke!"

"Vomitous MAGGOT! You will die!"

There he was! She sped towards the voice, towards the light, towards the end. _Faster. FASTER! _Her limits knew no bounds, as she became once again a blue-white energy. She could see his form just at the rim before the light. Her fists were white hot, ready to wrap around his throat and rip it apart.

"Ewh, this sucks. This is gonna bite hard!"

The ruse braced himself. But first, one last hurrah. He turned around, dropped trou, and yelled,

"Bite my _AAAaaa_…!"

Lady Death shot white-hot energy in front of her target. She could not stop in time from going thru to the other side.

_KRACK-OOM!_ She exploded out of the opening at full force. All around her was white. At first she couldn't tell if it was light, or her own energy. Shielding her eyes briefly, she slowed to a halt, preparing herself for what she would see. She took a deep breath. What was that smell? And the sounds? There was no stench of sulphur, or of searing flesh that she was used to. The screams of terror and pain no longer filled her ears. The smell was sweet—like perfume. The sounds were like music.

"Birds? Can it be?"

She slowly opened her eyes. A gasp escaped her throat.

"Oh… my… GODDESS!"

She was above a great forest. Green all around, save for a few pink colored trees here and there. _Are those Cherry Blossoms? _not trusting her eyes at first. She had heard stories as a child from the travelers as they passed thru her village, looking to sell their wares. These trees, they had to be, though she had never seen them before. She did not care. It was a definite change from smoke, lava, and blood. It stirred long-thought dead memories in her. Memories of her home. The village. _Villages! Yes! _She could see a village thru a clearing in the trees. The housing was oddly built—not familiar to her. Not like she remembered of her village.

"What did I come out of, and to where?"

She looked down, but was too high up. It was a black mark of unknown shape in a sea of green. It had a faint border around it. Curious, she descended.

It came into better view. The border was rocks. There was a rope off to one side. It was a well.

_A well!_ She had forgotten what they looked like. She stayed herself above the well as another thought suddenly flashed thru her mind. _There are no wells in Hell, not even water, stay for the River of Fear, or the River Styx…neither of which you can drink from. Is this Earth? Has Lucifer's curse finally lifted? _A scene replayed in her mind, that of her in a battle in Hell. One of many that she faced and conquered, though this was the one that began it all. Her eyes narrowed in hatred as a face came into focus, the Face of Lucifer. Her hands were wrapped around his throat. She was close enough to him then to have smelled his fear on his breath. Right before she threw him thru Heaven's Gate. Then, in his last desperate moments, he uttered the curse:

"**You will never set foot upon the Earth again so long as the living remain!"**

"And so I created the Endless Graveyard as a result. If I were cursed to never walk on Earth again while the living remained, then I would have their graves waiting…" she thought aloud to her as the scene faded. The sight of the well returned. The ground was but a mere heartbeat beneath her feet as she levitated above. Should she touch it?

She had waited far too long to have this dream slip away now, if it was a dream. Yet the hesitation was there. She lifted her head as a breeze blew thru her hair. The smell of wood and cherry blossoms filled her sense. Something else as well. Water! Pure running water! Oh how she longed to remove the stench of over 400 years of warfare, misery, and damnation of Hell. To just sit and feel the energy of life-giving force purify her… she made her decision.

She slowly lowered herself down. She was just a toe tip now. No turning back. A slight hold of her breath and she touched down.

_PHOOM! _A wave of energy issued forth and radiated out in a giant ripple from her. She did not notice it at all, for her elation was overwhelming. She had truly dared and succeeded—she was on the Earth!

Lady Death would not hesitate again. She headed straight for the source of the water, a running stream nearby. It was soon to be sunset, and she wanted to enjoy it while the sunlight still danced upon its surface.

Little did she realize, however, just how noticeable an energy wave could be…


	3. Decisions

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death's sotry may notice some continuity discrepancies with timeline and/or some objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 3.**

**Decisions**

**(3rd day: sunset)**

"Aaah!" Inuyasha shouted as he dropped his bowl of Ninja food. His eyes were wide in a combined mix of confusion and fear. Kilala, who normally was napping as the sun set, let out a loud threatening growl, transforming to her full form.

Sango, who had noticed Inuyasha's startling looks, had turned to ask him what was wrong. She also didn't realize just how close she was when the nekoyoukai transformed. Instinctively, she lied back to avoid being burned by the flames off of Kilala. A slight startled shout escaped her.

"Did you FEEL that?" Inuyasha glared at Miroku, the only one in the room at the time who was sensitive to such things.

"Hai, I did." Miroku confirmed.

"As did I." Said Lady Kaede, emerging from the cooking room.

"I did too, Inuyasha! What was that?" piped Shippo. The young kitsune was clearly scared. The last time he had felt such an energy wave was the night his father was killed at the hands of the Thunder Brothers.

Inuyasha grabbed the sheathed Tetsusaiga and ran to the front of Kaede's shack, throwing the bamboo door to the side. He glanced about frantically, trying to see where the wave came from. Miroku came to stand behind him.

"Whoever, or whatever, that energy wave came from is very powerful." He noted.

_SNIF, SNIF, SNIF _

"There's and unfamiliar scent out there too…" said Inuyasha. _Damnit! It's one hour until the sun sets, the New Moon will be out, and Kagome still isn't here!_

He scowled.

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all."

He secured Tetsusaiga to the belt on his robes, a determined look on his face.

Sango knew what he was doing now. He was going out to find Kagome, risking his very life possibly once the sun had set.

"Inuyasha, you can't go out there! You heard Miroku—whatever or whoever is out there is very powerful. Maybe even too powerful. In less than an hour, you'll be human. Tetsusaiga won't be able to transform to protect you! You could get killed!"

"And so can Kagome! I can't just sit here and wait—she could be in danger right now! I'm going, with or without you all. Just try and stop me!"

He rushed out of the shack at full force, heading in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. Kilala was hot on his tail, but stopped and turned to Sango as if to ask, "Well, are you coming or not?" Sango wasted no more time, peeling off the outer covering of clothes to reveal her demon-slayer's attire. To her, it was a uniform; when it was on, she had a job to do. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed her weapons: a small kitana and the hiraikotsu, a giant boomerang. She turned to Miroku, who himself displayed the same look on his face as her, emotionless and unreadable. She wasted no more time and was outside aboard Kilala. Miroku turned to Shippo.

"Shippo, I want you to stay here with Lady Kaede. It's far too dangerous for you. If we don't make it back, she will care for you."

He didn't want to think about that, but not knowing what they were going to face right now… he didn't want to think about that at all. He followed Sango's lead and boarded Kilala behind her. They set off after Inuyasha, after the unknown.

"Hurry! It's this way! Just beyond the tree line!"


	4. A Trinket

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death story might notice some continuity discrepancies in timeline and/or some objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------- **

**Chapter 4.**

**A Trinket**

Lady Death was in complete bliss. The stream was just the right temperature and depth. She had completely blocked her senses to such simple things during her time in Hell. As she relaxed her mind, so did her body. She didn't know how much she ached from hundreds of years of battle with hardly a rest in between. She was, at first, just wading in up to her knees. The water glowed with her energies, like a treasure hoard of aquamarine. It danced below the surface while the light from the setting sun glittered like gold on the top. She found a shallow pool in the center of the stream. Not wanting to be caught off guard while underwater, she quickly glanced back to the shoreline, stretching out her senses. She felt Apocalypse's power as a low hum--it's own pitch. When it was drawn, it amplified to match her own. Being forged from Chaos matter, it was the harborer of the Life of Creation. Apocalypse was a sword alive itself. It was bound to her as she to it. Their power was one.

But something else was there as well, not easily noticed because it was small. She quickly but silently lowered herself into the water, masking her energy as she slowly swam back to the shore. _What is that? _She thought, keeping her eyes on the shore and to where her sword was, already forming a defense plan. The blades of grass moved in a specific pattern, telling her it was a serpent. A rather big serpent. Coming straight for the shore, towards her. It was between her and Apocalypse. _Hmm_, she thought, _I would have much rather dispatch this minor threat with you, my Chaos-born friend, but it is no effort to send this threat to my realm either. _She waited just a little while longer to see how big her "foe" was, almost face to face with it now. _Careful… quiet_, the voice of Cremator whispered in her head, memories of a lesson on the art of surprise.

It was no ordinary serpent. It was a snakeyoukai, a lot larger than she's seen normally in the woods as a child. She held her breath, only her head above the water to shield the rest of her from its senses. She brought her feet underneath her and centered, ready to spring on her opponent. The movement stopped—it had sensed her! She could feel its muscles gathering for a strike, her senses locked on nothing but it. _Slowly now… that's it._

The snakeyoukai reared, fangs bearing poison, eyes glowing red. It was twice her height. Lady Death shot straight up, grabbing the snakeyoukai at its throat. Poison gas breathed from its mouth, but not enough. She had grabbed it in time. Lady Death smiled at her opponent now that she had it right where she wanted. The snakeyoukai hissed and thrashed its body at her, but not before it felt her touch. The Touch of Death. Instantly its skin began to bubble and dissolve, like something that had touched acid. Lady Death's hand was radiating her blue-white energy, her offside hand at the ready, though she would not need to use it. The snakeyoukai's skeleton showed, and then quickly shattered into dust.

"I don't think so." A satisfied smile across her face.

Something fell to the ground beside her foot. She looked down at the glittering object. _Hmm_, squatting low to pick it up and observe. It was about two inches long, not very wide, curved on one side, and jagged on the other. Like it had been broken off from something. It was like rose quartz, except that it didn't glitter at all. It glowed. A small hum was radiating from it as well, a hum that was like a calling, like it was missing from something greater. As if answering her, the object pulsed in her hand, glowing brightly. Visions came to her then, visions of a warrior maiden, similar to her, battling a demon, like she did in Hell. _Is there a connection between this warrior maiden and me? _Another vision, but that of another maiden, dressed strangely. Glimpses of a shrine, a Holy temple. The woods now, filled with evil. Evil seeking something—what? Around the neck of the maiden—a huge glowing orb. Like what she had. _Is this what it used to be? _They flashed quickly now in her mind. A being in red? Long white hair—what was that on top of his head? Are those ears? The maiden and the red—boy? Yes, he's male. They became friends, fighting together, protecting the orb from evil. _A quieter scene now, the maiden telling the Red Boy something. He seems happy, like he's in love. They share a kiss. _A brilliant flash now, then… _what? The maiden's been slain! The Red Boy killed her? Took the orb? Her last dying breath—3 arrows pin him to a tree, where he sleeps. She is burned in death with the orb. But it "survived"? It came into another maiden's being—one with an ancient power. This one found the Red Boy and released him. The orb was stolen then by a bird. This maiden shot it down with her arrows, but shattered the orb. Thousands of small pieces. Some she and the Red Boy were able to find, some still lost. I see myself in the stream, ready to strike at something. The snake! _The visions ended with Lady Death looking at the trinket in her hand once again.

It was a pretty thing, whatever it was. Maybe she could have Cremator make a necklace out of it or perhaps fuse it into Apocalypse… when she returned. If she returned home.


	5. Kagome's Return

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death's story might notice some continuity discrepancies in timeline and/or objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 5.**

**Kagome's Return**

Kagome arose on the morning of the third day, the eve of the New Moon. Well, she called it that, because according to her almanac wall calendar, the sun set at 6:00 that evening and the New Moon would "rise" one minute later. _If I'm delayed, that's not enough time to make sure Inuyasha is okay before he transforms to human, _she thought. She made a mental note to herself to come straight home from school, get what she needed and go. She didn't like the memory of how worried Inuyasha had been before she left. _What was he worried about? _It was so unlike him. She also had to remember the treats for him and Shippo in her packing. She can bring something for everyone as well, come to think of it. But especially she would have to remember to pack some chocolate for her. She found it kept her calm when Inuyasha got snippy, right around this time. _Like when is he not snippy? _She kidded herself.

School seemed to drag all day long. The only time it was exciting for her was when she finished her finals in each of her classes ahead of everyone else. _Wow, and I didn't even think I'd gotten in enough study time! _She marveled. She finished ahead of everyone else by about ten minutes. It gave her plenty of time to make a mental note of what to bring back with her. _Let's see, I'll need at least a week's worth of clothes, because I never know how long I'm staying it seems… shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and paste, hairbrush—hey maybe I should bring the pet brush and see if Inuyasha will let me brush out that mop he calls his hair? I'll bet it would look so pretty and soft once it's washed and brushed out… hmm, what else? _She let her mind drift off so much that she barely heard the bell ending her day. She gathered her books and supplies and set off towards home.

Her friends stopped her on her way out. She didn't even get far off school grounds. They invited her to go to their favorite burger place for a sundae.

"I really can't, guys. I have to get home and pack up for a trip. I'm leaving as soon as I'm ready to go."

They asked where she was going, to which she stammered,

"Uhh… to… the country! I'm going to the country. You know, finals are over now, it'll be summer soon… oh!"

She had just realized that during the warmer months there was more daylight, especially during summer. She thought for a moment. _It has been staying light for about 45 minutes for the past two weeks now…_ She smiled at her friends.

"Of course I'll come along. I can spare a short time before I have to go."

The burger place was filled with her entire school it seemed. Standing in line waiting just to order a sundae took forever. When she finally got to place her order, there was yet another wait. _Geeze, did they not schedule enough people today? _She started to fidget while glancing at her watch. Finally, her sundae was ready. Chocolate fudge (extra on the fudge), and chopped peanuts on top. Her favorite! She sat down with her friends and just reveled in the smell of it before she dug in. _Oooh, the fudge is still warm! _as she inhaled the aroma deep into her nose. Her friends stared at her in slight disbelief—you think she'd never had one before!

"What?" She inquired back, noticing their stares.

"I've just been craving chocolate a lot lately. And this hits the spot!" She scooped up a large glob of ice cream, fudge, and nuts. The fudge threatened to drip all over her uniform, but not before she was able to get it into her mouth.

"Mmmm! Oh this is so good!" letting it slowly dissolve on her tongue. Her friends continued their stares, glancing sideways at one another.

"So, Kagome?" a familiar male voice said to her right.

"'ai?" she said. She couldn't get out the "h"—she had fudge stuck to the roof of her mouth! It was her friend, Hojo. One of the cutest boys in her school. She blushed slightly after realizing that she still had the spoon in her mouth as she was savoring her sundae. _Oh geeze, how embarrassing! _She quickly took out the spoon and grabbed her napkin, wiping her mouth before anyone might notice the aftermath of her savoring.

"How are your knees?" Hojo asked.

"My wha? My knees?" She blinked.

"Yes, I ran into your grandfather and your brother the other day, and when I asked them where you had been, because I noticed you haven't been at school a lot lately…" Hojo paused.

_Oh no! Grandpa's told another one of his stories!_ Trying to hide her wide-eyed expression.

He continued. "Well, I went home and found some really good herbs for your knees out of the garden that I have. Here."

He gave her a small brown bag that crinkled with something. It smelled of black licorice and peppermints. She blushed again as she smelled the bag. _How wonderful!_

"It contains anise root and peppermint leaves. The anise root is good for reducing swelling, and the peppermint is good for reducing pain. If you have the time, I can show you how to make it into a tea to drink or even a poultice to apply directly to your knees…" he let trail off.

"Time? Oh no!" Kagome quickly looked at her watch. It was 5:00. She had lost track of time already!

"Oh no! I have to run now! But thank you so much for this, Hojo. I'll see you guys later!" She quickly grabbed her supplies and bolted out the door, leaving her sundae, her friends, and Hojo in a state of confusion.

"Omigod,omigod,omigod! Now I have to rush! Inuyasha's gonna kill me! After I promised him I'd be there before sunset!" She admonished herself as she sprinted thru the front door of the house and up the stairs to her room. Buyo, the cat, who had been sleeping on her bed, was almost squashed by her flying book bag as it landed with a thud. She emptied out her book bag, threw open all of her dresser drawers and flung open her closet. _Think, think, think! _as she stood in front of her closet. She started grabbing clothes and tossing them towards her bed, not really looking. Buyo let out a scared meow and ran out of the room, lest he be stuffed into the bag when she grabbed the clothes together.

"I'll need this, this, and this. Oh—and my sleeping bag and a blanket. It's been getting cold at nights when you're in the forest." Kagome said aloud to herself. All things folded, stacked, and stuffed into her bag, and she was in the shower in a new record time of twenty minutes. After she had dried off, put on fresh clothes, and grabbed her bag, she ran down the stairs from her room. But she forgot one thing.

"Oh man—my chocolate! Mom, can I take some of the small candy bites with me?" She called over her shoulder to the living room from the kitchen. Her brother answered.

"Mom's at the store right now, sis. Are you going back to Inuyasha's time?"

"Yes, and I'm late!" She answered back, grabbing the rest of the chocolate bites and stuffing them in her bag. Bolting out of the door, she absently grabbed for her throat. _Good, the jewel shards are still there. _Running up the stairs of the shrine that held the Bone Eater's Well inside, she was thankful for the strip of leather Miroku had given her. She had fashioned a thong necklace to hold the container of jewel shards around her neck. As she stepped onto the top of the well's edge, she stopped for a moment. Glancing at her watch, the time was 5:30. That was just enough time to get thru the well and sprint to Kaede's shack. _Whew! Barely made it_! she thought as she fumbled the container of shards, staring into the darkness of the well. She stepped off and let gravity take effect. Down, down, down, it felt light she was falling forever. The light of the setting sun was now in view thru the top of the well as she came to rest on the ground below. She steadied her bag and grabbed the rope to climb up.

_BING!_ Her head had hit something.

"Owh, what was that?" She held a hand up and was stopped by a barrier just above her reach. It swirled with rainbow colors at her touch.

"A barrier? Oh no! I can't get thru!" She started to panic a bit. She pushed against it, smacked it with her palms, even hit it with her fists. All to no avail. She stopped and sank to her knees, sobbing.

"I can't get thru—why? Oh, Inuyasha…"

She raised her head, tears streaming down her face, staring at the top of the well. As she sat feeling utterly hopeless, the last rays of the setting sun shone in and hit the container of shards around her neck, making them glow. Then she had an idea. She unscrewed the cap off the container and took out a shard. Holding it in her hands, she charged it with her miko powers. After a few moments, she opened her palms, holding a radiating shard. She tossed it straight up. The shard connected with the barrier, shattering it.

"Yes!" She cried. She quickly grabbed the rope and climbed out. Just in time to watch the last fingers of sun set. That's when she heard a familiar voice and took off at a run.

"INUYASHAAAA!"


	6. and So We Meet

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death's story might notice some continuity discrepancies in timeline and/or objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 6**

… **and So We Meet**

Lady Death was momentarily distracted by the glowing object. It had some power to it, but for what and why she didn't know.

_And what was it doing in the body of a snake?_ She asked herself. That's when her senses lit up. She detected four energy imprints; two human, and two she didn't recognize, though they seemed animal. At least one for sure was animal. _But what was this last one?_

She focused harder, but movement caught her eyes. There, just beyond the trees, something was coming. Her senses shot slightly behind her and to the right. _Another one?_ Her mind shifted. She would not jump to extremes and slay them first. Their energies were not threatening to her. But she would not appear unarmed. She took up Apocalypse and strapped it to her hip, undoing the peace-tie. _Better safe than sorry._ She thought. The four figures came into view. Two indeed were human; one appeared to be a giant cat, while the next to last one was… interesting. She had a few moments before the fifth one arrived. She turned towards them, taking neither a defensive nor offensive stance. Just a ready stance.

"Hurry! It's this way! Just beyond the tree line!"

Inuyasha yelled and sped up. Kilala flew low next to him with Miroku and Sango aboard. They broke thru the tree line into the field that bordered the stream and the path to the well. Inuyasha turned to his right quickly, then back ahead. _Damnit! I don't have the time for this!_ He growled under his breath, having viewed the setting sun. Straight ahead of him was a sight he thought he knew.

"Is that Sesshoumaru? What's he doing here?" Inuyasha stopped suddenly, taken aback. It wasn't Sesshoumaru's scent. _Who is that? _He wondered. A noise to his left made his pulse quicken. He felt his body shift then.

_B-BUMP! B-BUMP! _He was starting to change. He barely was able to draw Tetsusaiga from its scabbard, but it was too late. The sun had already set; the night of the New Moon was upon him. The voice of Kagome rang in his head a he dropped the unchanged Tetsusaiga and fell to his knees.

"INUYASHAAAA!"

Kagome ran from the tree line. _I'm too late! _She cursed herself. She ran straight towards him while Kilala landed, Miroku and Sango immediately dismounting and ran to place themselves on either side of Inuyasha. Kagome reached into her pack, grabbing the blanket, and threw it over Inuyasha. She was too worried about him to notice what they were focused on. It was Kilala's warning growl that alerted her. Kagome turned her head towards the left. What she saw made her heart skip a beat in fear. A tall, white figure with a blue-white glow was walking towards them, staring right back. The stare of Lady Death.

Intrigued, Lady Death gave a small leap to hover towards them. She landed just a few feet away from them and walked calmly, the ground crackling slightly at her every step. _Why, they're so young._ She thought. She could have sworn that she sensed only two human energies of the first group, with the fifth possibly being human as well. The cat creature was there, but the last one had… changed somehow. _It doesn't help matters that there is a blanket over this creature now_. Lady Death thought as she came closer.

Kagome had dropped to her knees. Quickly she reached into her bag, pulled out the blanket, and threw it over Inuyasha. She comforted him then.

"I'm here, Inuyasha. I'm here."

"Kagome…" he said, lifting his head slightly to her. "You're all right. What happened to you?"

"I had a run-in with a barrier in the well." She explained.

"A barrier? But how? Who?" Inuyasha sat up cross-legged now, still covered somewhat.

"Uhh… I don't mean to break the moment," Miroku interjected, "but we have 'someone' coming our way."

Lady Death was now face to face with them. The cat creature growled at her, but she stood her ground. _Just as big as Vassago._ She marveled. The girl that stood by it said something, but Lady Death did not recognize the language. The one who was dressed similar to a monk was saying something to them, while the girl next to the covered one on the ground seemed to be pleading with her.

"Please don't hurt him, or us." Kagome begged. Lady Death said nothing. She raised her hands, palms up. Closing her eyes, she turned her palms over and lowered them down, back to her sides. The words were clear to her now.

"Please don't harm him, or us."

Lady Death stared back into Kagome's eyes. They were fearful, but calm. Something else deep within them, just below the feelings. An ancient power, yes, this girl had that. She would inquire about that later. She lowered down to sit on her knees in front of the covered one. Raising her hand up, the girl by the cat called a name.

"Kagome!" Sango tried to run in front of Lady Death's raising hand, only to be stopped by Miroku's arm. Lady Death glanced her way slightly.

"I will not harm you", she said as she slowly lifted away the blanket covering Inuyasha. He raised his head to stare into silver, almost non-existent, eyes. Lady Death saw a young man with black hair and light hazel eyes staring back at her. He was not much younger than her. Perhaps 5-6 years at the most. He didn't have the fearful look to him, more the look of determination, or fire. He had a power as well, but it was hidden somehow.

"Why, you're just a poppet!" She finally said.

"A pupp-_WHA?_ What am I?" Inuyasha retorted back. He thought he heard 'puppy'. He grabbed Tetsusaiga and stood up. Lady Death did the same but only took a neutral stance, her sword arm at the side ready to draw Apocalypse.

"Inuyasha! Stop it! She did not call you 'puppy'! Kagome had stepped in front of him, putting her self between them. She turned to Lady Death, still fearful, but braver. "You didn't, did you?"

"Nay, mistress," said Lady Death. "Poppet is likened to 'little one', or 'child'."

"_CHILD!"_ He started again.

"Inuyasha," Miroku stayed his friend's temper. "Perhaps we should all return to Lady Kaede's shack and learn more about our guest…" He paused, looking and raising his eyebrows at Lady Death.

She took his clue. "I am Death. Lady Death." She felt a bit strange by their stares. She noticed that, compared to them, she was wearing next to nothing. That and she towered over them by at least half again their size, and was carrying a menacing sword. If that didn't make anyone nervous, the fact that she glowed would, and it wasn't because she was stark white. Even Inuyasha was wide-eyed. Lady Death redid the peace-tie on Apocalypse and slipped her arms inside her cloak. She pushed her arms thru armholes in the sides and brought the front to a close. It instantly fused together in one piece. Looking up, she said not a word but inclined her head, indicating that she was ready.

"Well, all that aside," Sango started, climbing aboard Kilala. "Shall we be going?"

She reached out a hand to help Miroku up. Kagome and Inuyasha stared at each other, at Lady Death, and back to one another again. Kilala could not carry all of them. Lady Death caught on to their feelings and without warning, levitated. Kagome's eyes widened, her mouth agape. Inuyasha wasn't surprised. _Nice trick. My brother can do that._ He smirked as he stepped over to Kilala. Lady Death looked at Kagome. She extended a hand forward. Kagome, not too sure about it, hesitated.

"I can piggy-back very well." Lady Death said reassuringly. Kagome took her hand, which was warm despite the pale look. Lady Death swung her around and onto her back. Inuyasha gave another smirk as he climbed aboard Kilala and settled behind Miroku. Kagome wasn't too sure about this, but given the circumstances, how back could it be? It was no different than being on Inuyasha's back. And so they were off.

However, high above them, watching, was an old enemy…


	7. The Dinner Guest

** Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familar with Lady Death's story might notice some continuity discrepancies in timeline and/or objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being. Enjoy!**

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 7**

**The Dinner Guest**

It didn't take them look before they were at Kaede's shack. They were surprised to see that Lady Death could out fly Kilala. Lady Death wasn't really trying to fly fast, she actually was trying to keep pace with the loaded down nekoyoukai. That and she didn't know the way. Kagome was amazed, but kept her eyes shut most of the way. She was used to being on the back of Inuyasha, and this was very strange to her.

They all landed on Kaede's grounds. Lady Death gently set Kagome down, and then turned her attention to the shack. It was made mostly of bamboo, mud, and reeds. Not much, but cozy enough to remind her of her childhood village. Something came shooting out from behind the bamboo door. It was small and fox like.

"Kagome! You made it! I was so… wor…" His words trailed off as his eyes and senses caught Lady Death. Lady Death raised an eyebrow. _Hmm, a child, but not a human child._ She thought.

"Inuyasha, do you have an older sister that we didn't know about?" Shippo marveled.

"Baka! She's not my sister!" He growled.

Lady Kaede stepped out to greet them as well, and was amazed at the sight of the white woman.

"Lady Kaede," Miroku said, not missing a beat, "would you be kind enough to set another place for our guest for dinner?"

Lady Kaede said no reply but did nod her head. They went inside, Inuyasha and Kagome, Shippo and Kaede, Sango and Miroku, then Lady Death. She waited behind purposely to see just what it was (or who) had followed them. She had sensed their energy back at the field, but since it posed no threat at the time, she ignored it. Kept her senses alert to it, but paid it no mind.

She parted the bamboo door to the side and went in. She had to duck a little, but it was no bother to her. Once inside, she saw everyone sitting on the floor. Straw mats cushioned them from the ground. In the center was a fire with a kettle hung over it for tea. Kaede's humming came from the cooking room. Lady Death reached inside her cloak with both arms. It undid partly, but stopped at her waist. She undid the peace-tie on Apocalypse and set it by the door. Lifting each leg then, she undid each spur off of its boot and set them by Apocalypse. Inuyasha, sitting by the door, Tetsusaiga cradled against his chest, watched her strangely. _Why is she doing that, leaving herself defenseless?_ He wondered. She regarded him indifferently, and then sat on the opposite side of the door, facing him. They were trying to read each other, it seemed, Inuyasha with one eyelid slightly lowered with the opposite eyebrow raised, Lady Death with her unreadable stare.

After a few moments, Inuyasha was so curious he couldn't stand it.

"Why did you do that—leaving yourself defenseless?"

She calmly blinked, remembering yet another training lesson. Cremator's voice in her mind again, came thru her voice.

"As a sign of respect for my guest and as a sign that I am honorable, my weapons are displayed peacefully. But I am not completely defenseless, poppet. They are by the door, as am I, should I need them."

Inuyasha, wide-eyed and blushing, never thought someone, who was a stranger to him, would know something about honor. He then noticed Sango following suit by placing her hiraikotsu and blade near the door as well. Kagome took her bow and quiver of arrows and hung them near the entrance. Kagome eyed Inuyasha warningly, giving him a silent hint. Seeing as how he was human and, in his eyes, Tetsusaiga was useless right now, he rolled his eyes, grumbled, and placed it by the door as well.

Miroku smiled and snickered to himself, as he was sure Kaede was doing the same in the cooking room, most likely overhearing everything. Kaede emerged from the cooking room with a fresh pot of rice, fish, and tea leaves. She called to Shippo, asking him to fetch the required bowls and cups. He was small, but quick in his task.

Inuyasha kept his eyes on Lady Death, while her gaze flickered between him and sideways towards the door, as if listening for something.

"Lady Death… I'm sorry, but the name is strange… has that always been your name?" Kaede asked. The others stopped dead in their dinner quest. Inuyasha leaned in, eager to hear this. He scooted closer into the circle.

"There was a time, an eternity it seems, that I was indeed, human," she began, her gaze unfocused on the fire. Old memories came to her now, long forgotten. Or so she thought.

"I was born a mortal girl named Hope. My mother was named Marion, and my father was named Matthias. My father was the six hundred and sixty-sixth descendant of the Fallen. Angels they were—the ones who rebelled against God, among them the one who began it all, Lucifer. Driven mad with their lust for power, they all were cast out. Some came to Earth, others went elsewhere, never to be seen again. Many of the Fallen found humans easy to corrupt, and the daughters of Adam and Eve fair. Generations of breeding with the daughters made him, a demon in the guise of a human mortal man…"

Inuyasha perked up at that. _Her father was a demon?_

She continued. "My mother had a bloodline so pure that it stretched to Heaven. She was mortal as well—a Viking warrior—descended from Valhalla gods and goddesses. She was married before, long ago before I came along."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Shippo asked. He was entranced, lying on his stomach with his feet in the air, wiggling back and forth.

Lady Death's eyes almost looked like they had tears forming. She sighed and told on.

"Yes, I have two half-sisters, Vandala and Vulnavia, though I haven't seen either one of them in many years… we fought side by side at the Battle of Asgard. Oh, what a glorious battle!"

A smile graced her face briefly, and then faded as the memory did. She continued on about herself.

"My father was a bloodthirsty warlord. Everyone in our village both hated and feared him. He was gone most of the time, fighting in wars. All of the men, young and old, were called to fight for him, including my love, Niccolo. He never returned. When Matthias was home, I used to hear him down in the lower room of the castle, chanting something. I never paid attention much, until the night my mother went to investigate. She went down to the room to the sounds of voices. She overheard voices foreign to her along with my father's. He was sitting around a table, celebrating his most recent victory with a demon hoard."

Her eyes sparked in hatred then. Her audience said not a word.

"My mother overheard of a plot to slay her and I, straight from his lips. Later that night, she waited in bed for him. But she was prepared. A Viking warrior never forgets who they are. She had her sword with her, waiting under the blankets. When my father came in and approached the bed, she ran him thru! She was not fast enough to kill him, and he slit her throat in the very bed they lay in. She didn't know that I saw everything that night—she never saw the tears of a young girl fall. After the last breath left her, my father turned to find me there, standing in fear and horror at what I'd just seen. He swore he would slit my throat as well if I told anyone. So I was his silent captive for years, until the night the villagers had had enough. They came for him on one of his nights that he was down in the room, chanting again. I had to see for my own eyes this time what he was doing. I crept downstairs, but stayed in the shadows so he would not notice me. There, before my own eyes, he uttered such arcane spells as to have the very pit of Hell itself open up. I stood entranced, and then fear crept into my very soul. He was offering the souls of the fallen to the very greedy hoard in exchange for demonic lordship in Hell. It was then that the mob came, demanding their justice. When they burst down the door and came downstairs, I found myself trapped. My bloodthirsty father, or the mob? Either way, I was as good as dead. They slew my father, and then seized me. "The sins of the father will come from the child", the priest who led them told me. They took me to the village square where I was to be burned at the stake as a witch…"

Her gaze shifted up from the fire, as she stared unfocused ahead at her small audience.

"As the flames seared my flesh, I did the last thing I could to save myself. I craved life, and in desperation I uttered the very same arcane spell I had heard not more than an hour prior from Matthias…"

"**I conjure thee here, in visible form…",** she repeated, but dared not speak the rest. The memory was too painful.

"What happened?" Sango asked fearfully. The memory of her own family, slain, in her mind now.

Lady Death stared around at the group. Some had looks of utter terror, others of sorrow,

After a moment, she steadied herself and went on.

"I entered Hell itself. Stood in front of Lucifer, the Father of Lies. He told me of an upcoming war in Hell, against a new warlord, as he offered me a place by his side. I had grown tired of being a slave, tired of being a 'puppet'. I spat his offer back into his face. It was then that I found myself face to face with the Nameless Wolves. They tried to kill me, but found themselves no mach for my fury. We became fast allies. We explored my new home together, until we found another, Cremator. Former Blacksmith to the Archdukes of Hell. He had been cast out from his village as well by this new warlord who planned to overthrow Lucifer and gain control. None other than my father, Matthias. I made a vow then that none would slay him in this melee' to come but me. Cremator not only became my teacher and mentor, but ultimately my most trusted ally and friend. Cremator was also the one who captured and tamed my warhorse, Vassago. He is as large as your cat creature in her 'transformed' state. We all fought side by side in more battles that I can recall, until we came across Matthias. He claimed to have defeated Lucifer and absorbed not only him, but also his power. 'Remember, in Hell, desire equals power!' I heard countless times and when I had my chance to slay Matthias, I found it all a ruse. It was Lucifer, not Matthias. I tried time and again to defeat him, and each time he eluded me. We battled for years, it seemed. I wanted my life back. He wanted to take a thing so innocent and pure and twist it into his own, my very soul. He even had my mother's soul captive. I became so tired of constant war, bloodshed, and sorrow I had reached breaking point, turning into a full demon and surrendering to the darkness, just so I could finally have peace…"

Inuyasha was stunned. _She's just like me—a half-demon! But yet, why does she remain human?_

She went on. "Once, while in my full demon form, I came across where Lucifer held my mother's soul captive. She pleaded with me to not give myself over to the dark, and she offered her very soul to free me. I was able to change back briefly to absorb her angelic powers. I needed them in order for us both to be free. Later that night, armed with her powers, I attacked Lucifer in his bed. One by one his defenses fell until all that was left was for me to destroy him completely. That's when he issued his curse:

"**You shall never set foot upon the Earth again so long as the living remain."**

"With the last of my mother's angelic powers, I was able to hurl him into Heaven's Gate. That is where he met his demise, for only those worthy my pass thru. I was free, my mother's soul was free, and all of Hell became mine. I did not desire it, but now I had the power of it."

Miroku inquired next. "So, then, how did you get here? To the Feudal Era Japan?"

Lady Death crooked her head to the side, eyes narrowing. "Is that where I am? Or came out into? It seems no matter where I go, conflict follows. While in Hell, even though I had claimed it by right of conquest, I had not the respect of the Archdukes, or of those who served them. One of which being a lesser demon named Pagan. He made it his sworn duty to rid me of Hell and claim it as his own. He angered me one too many times and unknown to me as I pursued him, he had successfully set a trap by use of the Nexus of All Things, a gateway to infinite possibilities. I went thru one of the portals in what I thought was my quarry, only to find it a ruse. When I emerged on the other side, I found myself here… finally able to set foot upon the ground."

It became very clear now, to everyone present, just who was the one that set off the energy wave.


	8. Of Shards and Sorceress

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lady Death or Inuyasha. I do own this story. Some of you familiar with Lady Death's story might notice some discrepancies with continuity and/or objects. Some things were changed in order to bring this story into being. **

**NOTE: future chapters will contain spoilers from the 3rd movie. Enjoy!**

**------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 8**

**Of Shards and Sorceress**

"That explains the rift—the wave of energy we felt before we met you, then." Inuyasha said.

Kagome was confused. _Could she have been responsible for the barrier in the well also?_

"It must have been sent out from you when you first set foot upon the ground," Miroku rubbed his chin and continued, "and seeing as how it packed a punch, it would go to say that anything, or _anyone_, within a certain range would feel it also."

"That might explain why a rather large snake found me and tried to kill me." Lady Death thought.

"A snake? How big was it? What did it look like?" Shippo inquired. He didn't like snakes very much.

"It was big. Twice as tall as I. Its eyes were glowing red. No real threat to me, and I was able to dispatch it easily with my touch." Lady Death raised an enclosed fist to reenact her hand around its throat.

"Glowing red eyes? A snakeyoukai." Sango looked around at Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo, who all agreed.

"Snake yoo-kye?" Lady Death looked at Sango quizzically.

"Yes. A demon. A minor one, but a demon all the more. What would it want with you I wonder?" Sango gazed off into nothing, internally searching her knowledge of demons and their habits.

"I do not know, but after I sent it into oblivion, this fell to the ground at my feet. I assume it came from within the snake's body." Lady Death held out her hand from within her cloak after retrieving something. It was her trinket.

"That's a jewel shard!" Kagome exclaimed.

"A what?" Lady Death looked at her.

"Oh no—that changes everything." Sango looked worried. She looked at Miroku, who nodded in agreement.

"What has changed?" Lady Death's eyes darting around. This did not look good.

"Great—that's all I need now! When I can't do anything about it, being human right now either! Naraku!" Inuyasha ranted in disgust. He shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"Nuh-raw-who?" Lady Death was getting annoyed now. She wanted answers and no one was explaining.

"Why didn't I sense the shard before?" from Kagome. Everyone now voiced his or her concerns faster than Lady Death could keep up.

"It might have something to do with her unique energies…" Miroku theorized.

"My what?" Lady Death was lost now.

"If the snake felt her aura, that means not only Naraku, but my rat-bastard brother Sesshoumaru most likely felt her as well! That's all I need is his Holier-than-thou ass sniffing around too!" Inuyasha huffed.

"Sessho—by the Abyss! Will someone explain to me who, and what, is going on? What is this 'jewel shard', this Nuh-raw-koo, this Ses-show-mare-oo… and how in my realm does this change anything?" Lady Death's blue-white aura raised around her, crackling with small bolts.

"Whoa…" Inuyasha was bedazzled, his eyes wide. Silence ensued. Only the sound of Shippo's dropping chopsticks broke it. The jewel shard was glowing with a lavender aura. It pulsed like a thing alive, unlike any of the shards they had gathered.

Kagome was transfixed. _So this is what happens when the shard reacts to someone! Is it being tainted, or purified? _

A few moments passed by. Kaede had heard enough. She put down her bowl, grabbed her teacup, poured in some tea leaves and hot water, and took a sip. She eyed this white-maned fury with a Shikon shard, clearly unaware of what it was doing to her, or her to it. It was time to tell the history.

"Lady Death, since ye are unknown, and unlike another in our world, I shall tell ye what that is you hold in your hand. That is a piece of a sacred jewel, the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. No one knows for certain who, if anyone, created it. Legend holds however that it was thrust from the body of a warrior miko named Midoriko during her last, and ultimately, her final battle. She sealed the demon she battled, along with herself, into a powerful spell. The spell's power was so great that it shook the ground and enclosed the two of them, forever entwined, into the cave where they fought. Many centuries passed, until the servants of a local lord unsealed it. When they entered the cave, there they found Midoriko, the demon, and a mysterious jewel that was settled in her hands. The lord decided that such a thing that came from this scene must be sacred and must therefore be protected from harm. It was be his decree that it be given to the Holy Shrine, where no evil could come to it. The lord entrusted this task to none other than the Demon Slayers—Sango's ancestors. It stayed in the possession of the Shrine for many years, each generation a new priest or priestess being given the task of guarding the jewel. But not just anyone could become a guardian. Only those who were dedicated to the task in their training and who were possessing a pure heart, mind, and soul were considered. Such was my older sister, Kikyou. It seemed like only yesterday when she showed me the Jewel, when it was whole. I was but a girl of nine years. It was very beautiful, and she said it would remain as such so long as one of purity guarded it. But if it ever were to fall into the wrong hands, it would become corrupt, and we would be doomed. I realized that Kikyou was the right person to do such a task."

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha, who appeared solemn, almost sad, while Kaede continued.

"Kikyou fought many demons and evil men seeking the jewel with not a care for herself. I worried that she would forever lead a lonely life, bound to her duty to protect the jewel. Then she met Inuyasha. He was, at first, like everything else, trying to take the jewel. He had heard the stories of how the Jewel could give power to those who possessed it. But no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't bring himself to take it any more than Kikyou could to kill him. They became friends eventually, Inuyasha lending his skills in demon slaying by her side."

"Demon slaying?" Lady Death was taken aback. There was, indeed, more to him than she had thought. She glanced briefly at him, a quizzical look on her face before turning back to Kaede.

Inuyasha let out a sigh, a very long sigh. He got up, and went outside, unable to bear the reminding memories of what might have been.

Hours past by as Kagome half-listened to the rest of Kaede's tale to Lady Death; of trust building between Kikyou and Inuyasha, of the greedy and twisted Onigumo, whom Kikyou took pity on when he was left for dead, and of his lust for her that eventually led to the creation of Naraku. Lady Death learned of Inuyasha's desire to become a full demon thru use of the Shikon Jewel, but after meeting Kikyou, things changed. Lady Death learned as well when Kikyou told Inuyasha that if the Jewel was used for good, it might have been possible for him to become human. Human like her, human to live, and to love, like her. With her.

But, Lady Death also learned sometimes happiness could have a price. It can have betrayal, when you have lust and jealousy in the mix. The lust of Onigumo for Kikyou, and the jealousy he had over her possession of the Jewel. The betrayal of her trust in him in his moment of need. The betrayal of her trust in Inuyasha, whom Naraku posed as to seize the Jewel from her. The betrayal of Inuyasha's trust and his love of Kikyou, when he tried to save her from danger. And finally, of death. Kikyou's death—her body ripped open by Naraku in the guise of Inuyasha while seizing the Jewel. Of Inuyasha's death, but not literally—the death of a sealing spell—placed upon him by Kikyou thru her arrows upon a tree. Sealing him into sleep for the next 50 years...

It all made sense to Lady Death now, what the visions she saw from her trinket were telling her back at the stream. The Red Boy she had seen was none other than Inuyasha. The first warrior maiden must have been this "Midoriko". The second, Kikyou. And the third… possibly Kagome?

When Lady Death learned what the Four Souls of the Jewel were—Courage, Friendship, Wisdom, and Love—it mattered not to Kagome. She felt alone, empty. As alone and empty as perhaps Inuyasha did. She also realized that she was very tired. _What time is it?_ She glanced at her watch, which read 3:30 in the morning. _Yawn._ She went outside to join him. She saw him standing in the darkness, his back towards her.

"Inuyasha…" she said in a concerned manner, trying to stifle back another yawn.

"Kagome", he answered softly, turning around. He was a little surprised to see that she had followed him outside. He sighed, glancing back towards the forest that held the tree upon which he was sealed by Kikyou, letting his mind wander.

"You know, it's almost bittersweet," he said.

"What is?" Kagome asked, her gaze wavering from lack of sleep.

"All those times I was around Kikyou… and she never once saw me as 'human' like I am now. You were the first one. The first one who didn't shy away or try to kill me. The first one whom I eventually learned to trust as a friend again. The first one who I knew I could count on when I needed them. It seems so unfair."

He turned to look at her, when something in the sky caught his eyes. His face twisted in hatred as his eyes flashed.

"Kagura!"

Kagome's eyes widened. She was wide awake now!

Inuyasha's hand automatically went to his side where Tetsusaiga would be; only to remember that is was inside the shack by the door. He looked down in slight shock, but before he could do anything, Kagome was pushing him inside.

"Stop shoving, would ya!" He said, resisting for all he was worth.

"Get your ass in there before she—AAA!"

_BAM! BAM! BAM!_

Energy bolts crashed to the ground shortly behind her. Kagome shoved Inuyasha inside in the nick of time. A great rush of wind blew, and then all was still.

Kagura, the Wind Sorceress, had paid them a visit.

Miroku and Sango ran outside to protect Kagome. Sango had the hiraikotsu at the ready, Miroku's left hand over the prayer beads on his right arm, ready to release the Wind Tunnel.

"Miroku, stop! She's not alone, look!" Kagome pointed towards a swarm. A group of the poisonous insects followed Kagura.

"That's right, monk! Go ahead—release your Wind Tunnel! You'll find a painful death in no time!" Kagura taunted.

Miroku lowered his arm while resecuring the beads. He glanced at Sango and Kagome, then narrowed his gaze towards Kagura.

"What do you want, Kagura?"

"Why, the jewel shards, of course. And Inuyasha's head! Where is he? Since I don't see him around, am I to assume that he's struck out on his own? No bother. He will meet his demise in time."

A wicked smile crossed her lips. Slowly, she brought her fan to a close.

"But I'm not here for that, unfortunately for me. Naraku sent me to investigate a… rift. So I followed it, and look where it led me. Now my question: what are you hiding?" She pointed her closed fan at the trio.

Kagome had slowly backed up towards the entrance of the shack. _If I can just reach inside and grab my arrows, I might be able to get a clean shot._ She reached her left arm inside the shack, slowly working its way up to the bow and quiver, keeping her eyes on Kagura. _Just a little bit higher._ Suddenly, something grabbed her wrist.

"Auh!" She startled slightly.

Shifting just her eyes towards the opening, Kagome saw Lady Death's hand on her wrist. Lady Death said not a word, but silently shook her head and motioned with her eyes for Kagome to return to her original place. Kagome looked a bit past the steely gaze. There, just passed the place where they were sitting for dinner, was Inuyasha. He was… _what?_ Inuyasha was behind some type of barrier. He pounded his fists against it, and appeared to be yelling, though all he could do was mouth the words.

Kagome realized that Lady Death had a plan at that point. She met the steely eyes again and nodded slightly, slowly withdrawing her hand.

Miroku tried to stall. "Inuyasha's not here, Kagura, and we don't know what caused the energy wave."

He never said _who_ caused the wave, and Inuyasha was, in truth, not there. From a certain point of view.

Kagura, however, wasn't buying it. She brought her fan towards her face and let it unfold. She was going to strike.

"I'll ask you again. What are you hiding?"

Kagome didn't know what exactly was Lady Death's plan, but she had a feeling it was going to happen soon. She cleared herself from the doorway, hoping Kagura wasn't paying attention. It was not like the Wind Sorceress to not be after the jewel shards. Kagome decided to play that hand in hopes of giving Lady Death the time needed.

"Kagura, since when are you not after the jewel shards? You jump anytime Naraku says 'boo'! We're not hiding anything." In truth, again, from a certain point of view.

The wicked smile crossed Kagura's lips again. Her eyes sparked slightly as she drew back her arm.

"Oops, I guess I've been found out. There's only one thing left then—your deaths!"

She thrust out her unfolded fan. Circular blades of energy flew tot heir targets. Miroku and Sango scattered in opposite directions, but Kagome did not have time. The blades came right towards her, while the poisonous insects swarmed to the others. Sango threw the hiraikotsu, but it missed them completely. _WHAT?_ She gasped.

The hiraikotsu had bounced against a barrier; the poisonous insects slammed against it on the inside, dead. Kagura's blades also connected with the barrier, exploding in a flash of white, leaving Kagome unscathed. After the energy had disappeared, the figure of Lady Death stood between the group and Kagura.

Kagura took a startled step back. "Wha—who the Hell are you?"

"Hell, indeed!" replied Lady Death, standing at the ready with Apocalypse at her side. Miroku and Sango ran towards Kagome and quickly moved her towards the door, out of the way. Kagome protested, she did not want to miss a good ass whipping at Kagura's expense.

"Who I am is of no concern to you, and if it is a fight you seek, try your skills with a more worthy opponent, and not the young."

Lady Death raised her sword arm, clenching her fist as her energy cracked around it.

Kagura narrowed her red eyes. _Who is this pale woman, and why does she pulse with a demonic aura?_ She brought her fan to a close and thrust it to the left side.

"You are either very bold, or very stupid. In either case, I accept your challenge! DANCE OF BLADES!"

Kagura's arm shot forward, opening the fan at the same time. The energy exerted from shooting open her fan became a barrage of energy blades, more concentrated than her first attack. The blades were too many to count as they approached their target—Lady Death. But it mattered not to the Queen of Hell. She raised her arms upwards, extending her fingers as far as they could. Lightning bolts of blue-white shot out from her fingertips, surrounding her all around. Kagura's blades made contact, and quickly exploded into harmless sparks one by one.

The Wind Sorceress was stunned. _No one is left undamaged in the least from that attack… her power seems to match mine._ Her eyes blazing with a fierce disbelief, she decided to pull out all her power. A smug grin slowly formed.

"Impressive, White Mane, but can you handle this?"

Kagura's hand at her side was brought up in a circular motion around her head. Her fan spread, massive energy torrents gathering in a cyclonic motion above her. When the fan was closed, Kagura shot the energy forward again.

"DANCE OF THE DRAGON!"

The huge swirling torrents roared forward, their sound unnerving.

Lady Death wasn't fazed. It was time to feed her blade. Gripping the hilt of Apocalypse, she pulled the sword from its scabbard. Holding it horizontally, the barrage of wind torrents connected.

Kagura's grin widened as she watched the Dragon Wind roar at Lady Death_. She has no barrier up this time. Does she really think her simple sword will stop me?_ The Dragon Wind blasted against Apocalypse. A deafening roar was combined with what could be described as the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Gold energy bolts issued forth from the blade as they danced around the Dragon Wind, surrounding it, penetrating it, absorbing it.

Kagome, Miroku, and Sango all gasped. They each raised their arms towards their eyes, shielding themselves from the blast of connecting energies. At first nothing could be seen but the Wind and the gold bolts. The silhouetted figure of lady Death came into view. Lady Death's hair and cloak violently whipped around, but her stance didn't faulter.

"Look… at… that!" Miroku exclaimed, awe struck.

Kagome and Sango both lowered their arms to gaze in wonder as the colliding energies dispelled. Apocalypse's energy bolts were like the tongue of a child as it savored its favorite treat, making sure not to miss a single bit. When the last gold finger retreated into the blade, Lady Death admired it. The actual blade itself was forged into pointed waves along the sides. If one stared down it from the tip, it was neither flat nor rounded. It was triangular. As the blade met the handle, in its center was a skull. Three arrow-like protrusions cam out on either side of the skull. The handle was black as obsidian and tipped in a point at the end. Looking at the sword as a whole, it was the epitome of Chaos itself: eight points of energy in motion, from a single point, radiating out towards eternity.

Like ripples in a pond from a dropped stone.

Lady Death lifted her gaze at Kagura. The Wind Sorceress was speechless. She quickly closed her fan and stepped back.

Lady Death smiled. "Is that all you possess? My turn now…"

She let her words draw off slowly as she brought her blade level with her center. She squared her stance, readying herself to unleash Apocalypse's power. Her power built up again, a blue-white tempest of lightning surrounding her. She brought Apocalypse above her head in one swift motion, her offside hand clenched in a fist of concentrated power, all the while staring into the eyes of Kagura.

From the safety of the shack, Kaede, Shippo, and Inuyasha were in a state of speechlessness. Even though he was behind a barrier that rendered him silent, Inuyasha managed to mouth the words "holy shit". He especially wished that he wasn't behind this damn barrier so he could have front-and-center seats to the Ass-Kicking of the Century. Shippo, perched atop Kaede's shoulder as they observed out the window, shook with excitement and fear combined. Lightning was an all-too-familiar reminder to him of terrible things, but he liked Lady Death and knew she was protecting them. Kilala had made herself scarce a while ago; animals always know when things could be detrimental to them.

Lady Death's power began to pulse thru her sword like a heartbeat. Apocalypse responded by heating up with a gold glow that steadily turned to brilliant white with each pulse. Every 'beat' of the energy emitted a sound as it thrust up from the hilt and out thru the tip. It grew louder and higher as it intensified.

_VOOM! VOOM! VOOM!_

The sound grew until it reached its peak. An extremely high pitched 'scream' was ushered from the blade as the very heart of Chaos energy was honed. It was so high that everyone covered their ears, wincing and praying that it would not get higher. All around Lady Death was white. She could not bee seen except for a faint outline.

Kagura panicked. _This is no ordinary demon, even though her energy imprint is, nor is she human as her appearance betrays. I'm in over my head—she plans to obliterate me!_ Quickly, Kagura yanked a feather from her hair and tossed it skyward. The Wind Sorceress fled for her very existence. She was not a moment too soon as Lady Death released the Chaos Incarnate power at her target. She thrust Apocalypse towards Kagura, Chaos in full motion shot out in a rush of white from the tip of the blade. It narrowly missed Kagura as she dodged it in an uncontrolled dive. She flew like never before, towards anywhere but here. Fear gripped her center in a way she hadn't expected. She feared Naraku, but after coming face to face with the epitome of Chaos Incarnate, he was a minor threat now. She glanced nervously over her shoulder when she was certain she was far away, or a t least a safe distance.

"Shit—that was close!" She finally breathed.

Lady Death cocked her head slightly as she watched the Chaos Incarnate wave continue on. She snapped her fingers, and the energy disappeared into nothing. She then looked in the direction of the fleeing Wind Sorceress.

"Yes, Kagura, it was. And I know all I need to about Naraku now. You will carry my message well."


	9. Harsh Lessons

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. I do own this story. Some of you familiar with Lady Death's story might notice some continuity discrepancies with time and/or objects. Some things were changed in order for this story to come into being.**

**NOTE: future chapters will contain spoilers from movies 3 and 4, and the rating for language comes into play due to Inuyasha's temper here. Enjoy!**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 9**

**Harsh Lessons**

"That was IN-CRE-DIBLE!"

Kagome screamed. She had her hands clamped on either cheek, eyes wide with glee. It was she could do to contain herself. Miroku and Sango looked at each other, to Kagome, and back again. Sango's mouth agape, one of Miroku's nerves in the corner of his eye twitched. Kaede and Shippo came out of the shack, beaming with excitement. Lady Death sheathed Apocalypse and joined her… friends. Odd to her they might be, but they had grown on her in such a short time. She glanced from one to the other, taking in each moment, each emotion, until they all stopped and realized one was missing.

"Hey—where's Inuyasha?" Shippo finally asked. Kagome turned to Lady Death while clapping a hand over her mouth.

_Oh Cripes!_

"Oh, aye." Lady Death remembered her barrier. She snapped her fingers again. From inside the shack the growls of a furious hanyou-gone-human cam bursting out of the door. Inuyasha was pissed and charging with Tetsusaiga unsheathed! Everyone scattered out of the way. All but the Lady. She merely raised an eyebrow.

Inuyasha stopped a mere breath-width away from Lady Death, an untamed fire blazed in his eyes. He had to look up a good bit at her.

"What the fuck was that for—putting me in a barrier? I can take care of myself, you bitch!"

He screamed at the Hell Queen with teeth clenched. Kagome and the others gasped. They had never seen him this mad. Except for the times he was full demon, which were few.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said incredulously.

"Stay out of this, Kagome!" He snapped at her with an angry glare, and then took a few steps back. Raising Tetsusaiga, he glared back at Lady Death.

"Well? I'm waiting!" he growled.

"It was a necessity for your protection…" she started explaining, but was cut off.

"BULLSHIT! I told you, I can take care of myself!"

He was in a bloodlust rage, and was not going to listen. But neither would she back down.

"NOT while you are HUMAN, you cannot! Lest you forget you are MORTAL in your present state and can be killed. So what was done was in your best interest. Until I return to my Realm, be it by the way I entered or other means, we are stuck with each other. So long as I am here, you are under my protection. Get used to it."

She folded her arms matter-of-factly.

He was not backing off. He stepped up. No one but him was aware that sunrise was approaching in about an hour.

"My present state is about to change, you pale bitch! You call yourself the Queen of Hell? _PTAH!_ You'll see Hell at the end of my blade!"

He charged at her, the katana form of Tetsusaiga over his head. Lady Death's eyes narrowed.

_You insist on a lesson, then. So be it!_

She let him approach. Within five paces was all he got with his sword. Lady Death shot it out of his hands with a quick blast. It sailed thru the air and landed halfway in the ground with a thunk. Inuyasha watched stupidly and amazed at how fast and with little effort she did that. He raced back to his sword, but as soon as his hand touched the handle, a barrier blasted him off.

"What did you do to my sword?" He screamed, clenching his fists and teeth.

"You do no deserve that blade until you learn discipline, humility, respect, honor, and most of all to STAY YOUR TEMPER! The barrier around the sword is temporary, however, it will now accept no one but myself."

She meant business.

"Over my rotting corpse!" He retorted.

"THAT can be arranged, if you forget so soon who it is you address, Poppet!" _That will get him._

"Don't call me that! My name is Inuyasha!" His temper was getting out of hand now.

"Inuyasha! Stop it!" Kagome yelled at him.

"I told you to stay out of this! You can't SIT me while I'm HUMAN, so shut up!" His anger was a wall of red.

Kagome was shocked. She bit her lower lip, forcing back the tears that were welling up. She turned to Sango as one solitary tear fell. She was glad that it wasn't seen by anyone else.

"I can't watch this…" she sobbed and went inside Kaede's shack. Shippo, now sensing her sadness and smelling the tears, joined her inside. Sango, Miroku, and Kaede watched the lesson unfold.

Lady Death continued. "To call oneself a certain name, you must own it, Poppet. As it stands, you own nothing but your garments."

"Stop calling me that!" His head lowered, but his eyes remained on her.

"I will call you whatever I see fit until you can prove to me you own your name, POPPET!"

She egged him on purposely. It was part of the lesson.

"RRRAARRGH!"

He snapped beyond the wall of red and into the blackout. He charged blindly at her, driven by instinct alone. He had his fists balled.

_That's it, young one. NOW you are ready._

Her first lesson was to break his temper. She waited until he was a few steps from her before she launched herself up and out of his reach. No matter how hard he tried in jumping, his fingertips barely even grazed her form. It was to her advantage that he was still human for the last hour before sunrise. She taunted him with a smirk, dipping low enough to give him bait, then zipping up again just out of his reach. Blinded in his blackout rage, he lost his rational thought. Detrimental things could happen, and his head wasn't clear to feel his body shift again. The first fingers of sunrise broke over the mountaintops.

_B-BUMP! B-BUMP!_

His blood stirred in the shift, but it was different this time. A deep, primal growl rumbled in his throat as he changed. Lady Death stayed herself just out of reach and observed.

_Ahh, I feel a familiar twinge. Is this his true form?_

Inuyasha's growls became roars as he threw back his head, his body surrendering to the change. Lady Death watched with the curiosity of a cat watching its prey. He raised his hands, curling his fingers as claws grew forth from his nails. His teeth grew into the canines of a dog. His ears moved up to the top of his head, becoming pointed and covered with white fur. His hair changed from smoky black to silver. His eyes, normally a hazel brown as human, changed briefly to gold. The whites of his eyes went red, while the iris itself was crimson. The skin surrounding the eyes turned dark, making them look like they were glowing red.

Dark purple jagged stripes formed under each eye along his cheeks. He had gone from human to youkai during his transform. Deep primal growls came from his throat when his change was complete. He lowered his hands and head for a moment, taking in the feel of demonic blood coursing in his veins. It felt good to him, like he was hunting, but hunting what? Movement caught his eyes and he looked up, the figure of Lady Death hovering just out of reach.

_Ahh… this must have been my prey._ _You won't be able to run from me now._

Lady Death took in the look of the creature. She would have to use caution with him while taming his temper. Since his energy was demonic now, she would have to call upon her angelic side to neutralize it, otherwise they could very likely kill each other. She didn't want that, nor did she want to hurt him too badly. He would get battered around, assuredly so, but that could not be helped now. The lesson would continue until he would yield, either from exhaustion or a sword point. She decided to lead him a good distance away from the others. From her vantage point she could see that they were not far from a field. That would do. Away from his sword, and away from the group. Just her and him.

A red blur coming towards her grabbed her focus.

_Goddess!_

She dodged to the right as Inuyasha's leap sent him passed her left side. He moved too fast for her judgment and his claws found her flesh.

_WHICK!_

The claws of his left hand stung as they drew blood from her.

"Gawr!" She grunted, clenching her teeth and gripping her side. When she removed her hand, she saw that, indeed, he had drawn her blood.

"You bastard whelp! How dare you strike me!"

"Wazza matter? Can't handle the competition?" Inuyasha's voice was a sadistic taunt, one side of his mouth curled in a grin to show fangs. He brought his bloodied hand towards his face, cracking his knuckles. A low, dry chuckle was heard from his throat.

_This is going to present itself as a challenge._ She thought. But first to lure him away from the shack. She dipped low towards him but stayed ready. She didn't know how fast he could be.

"You are no competition to me! You are easily felled!"

She swatted his head then quickly darted up. His eyes flashed at her and he bared his teeth.

_That should do it. Follow me now!_

Sango saw everything and knew she had to act. She knew just how dangerous Inuyasha could be when his youkai blood took over. She ran back to get Kagome.

"Kagome! Come quick!"

Kagome emerged from Kaede's shack, face swollen from crying. She wiped the streams of tears on her cheeks. Noticing the sunrise, she remembered that Inuyasha was moments away from changing.

"What is it, Sango? Where's Inuyasha?"

"Uhh… yeah. About that—he's changed. He's gone full demon!" Sango bugged out her eyes to emphasize the importance of this.

"What! Where's the Tetsusaiga?" Kagome looked around. There, not far away, was the sword stuck halfway in the ground. In the distance was the pair; sometimes it looked like Inuyasha was trying to fly, other times the two would wrestle briefly on the ground before a break would happen. Energy blasts could be seen coming from Lady Death. Every time they hit Inuyasha, his demonic screams would get louder.

_I have to get the sword to him._

Without hesitation, Kagome started off towards the sword, but was stopped suddenly by Sango.

"What are you doing—have you lost your senses?" Sango's hand was on her wrist.

"I have to get the Tetsusaiga to him," Kagome said, "it's the only thing that keeps his youkai blood in check!"

"But Kagome," Miroku noted, "Inuyasha is also the only one who can touch it and not get hurt."

"No he isn't. I've handled it before."

The two of them stared dumbly at Kagome. She didn't have time to explain in detail, so the condense version would have to do.

"Before all of us met, there was just Inuyasha and I. Myoga, the flea, cam to us one day to tell us that Sesshoumaru was looking for the matching sword to his and swore that Inuyasha knew something about it and where it was. They fight, not like they don't, and all of a sudden Sesshoumaru pulls this black pearl-thing out of Inuyasha right eye. I'm going 'WTF?' when it turns out to be a portal to the Other World. Sesshoumaru and his toad Jaken go thru, Inuyasha and I go thru, and we end up in a graveyard that holds the skeletal remains of their father! We all end up in the belly of 'dad', and look where Tetsusaiga has been hiding! Right here all along! So they start fighting again, yadda, yadda, yadda, Sesshoumaru tries to take it—no can do. Inuyasha tries to take it—has a little bit more success, but it still won't budge! Stuck in the stone—gee, didn't I read a story like that before? Anyways, I get tired of seeing Inuyasha's butt being whipped, so I get it in my mind to help him. You know, I look back on it now, and it was one of those 'what was I thinking?' moments…"

"Kagome!" Sango snapped her back to the point.

"So I go over to the sword, grab it, and pulled it out with no problems!"

Kagome spread her arms the way a magician does after his trick.

Miroku and Sango eyed each other. _Yeah, right._

"I've got to at least try!" Kagome yelled as she took off.

"Kagome, wait! There's a barrier around it!"

Sango called after her, but Kagome couldn't hear it. All she heard near her was the thudding of her shoes against the ground as she neared the sword. Muffled yells from Lady Death and Inuyasha started to become clearer now the closer she got.

"Don't… make this… harder… than… it has to… be!" Lady Death struggled against Inuyasha's advancing claws. She had his wrists; he had her pinned. His right hand was inching towards her throat.

"What makes you think I like things easy?" He said, still in the demonic voice. His claws inched their way closer until the tips were tickling her flesh.

"You want… no… holds… barred? You shall have it!" She rallied her angelic energies, until her fists started to turn white around his wrists. The aura encompassed them both until Inuyasha couldn't take anymore. Then she pushed with aura and body.

"_NGUH!"_

Her energy gave a short burst as Inuyasha was pushed off. He landed with a thud some feet away. Lady Death stood up and gathered angelic energies again.

_I have no choice but to use energy opposing his own, even if I end up hurting him._

She walked the few steps towards him when something sparked her senses away and towards the sword.

_NO…_

Kagome was a few steps from the Tetsusaiga. It was pulsing, calling for Inuyasha, but its call went unheard as its aura rippled against the barrier. Kagome couldn't see it, as her still developing miko strengths could only sense the energies of those she knew. She hadn't known Lady Death enough yet to have an imprint of her. She reached out a hand towards the sword's hilt, but was rebuffed by blue-white sparks of lightning. She jumped back and shook her hand. It was more surprising than an actual shock. It was like static electricity snapping her fingers.

"Whoa—that was a funky feeling!" She gasped.

But the barrier did more than shock. It not only drew the attention of Lady Death, but also Inuyasha. For a split second Tetsusaiga's call was able to escape the barrier when Kagome got shocked. It was just enough to attract Inuyasha to it. He snapped his head towards Kagome and the sword, a low growl and a rumble from his mouth. He slowly turned back towards Lady Death and smiled wickedly, eyes wide.

Lady Death's eyes flicked from Inuyasha, to Kagome, and back again.

_He's going to go for the sword! No, he's going for HER!_

As soon as she had that thought, he was off, quick as a cat. She leaped into the air after him.

_Goddess—he's too fast! I won't make it to him in time!_ She focused on Kagome.

"RUN!"

Kagome gasped at the sight of Inuyasha. She had seen him under the influence of his youkai blood before, but never like this. His eyes blazed red as he got closer. Something whizzed over her head. It was the hiraikotsu. Kagome turned on her heel and sprinted. Sango grabbed the giant boomerang as it returned. It had missed its mark, as Inuyasha had dodged it easily. Miroku tried a few sutras thrown his way—he shredded them easily. Kaede fired off a few of Kagome's arrows—he grabbed them all in one hand and broke them. Even Shippo tried with his Fox Fire—all to no avail.

It was either up to Kagome to bring him to his senses with something—her feminine wiles?

Or Lady Death, to bring him to his knees with Apocalypse?

Kagome could hear his growls getting closer, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

_The forest—away from the rest. Maybe I can loose him there!_ She headed towards the tree line, but stopped dead at the edge.

"Don't be a fool, girl!" yelled Lady Death.

Kagome turned around. I t just occurred to her that she did have a weapon, and all she had to do was utter a single word.

Inuyasha had leapt into the air, claws outstretched, ready to pounce upon her. It was like he moved in slow motion.

**"SITSITSITSITSIIIIIIT!"**

She yelled it five times for all she was worth. Just in case he hadn't heard the first four.

_WHAM! SMACK! BAM! BAM! BAM!_

The first one said dropped him hard from a leap at Kagome. Momentum carried him forward still as the rest said pounded him face first deeper into the ground. I nuyasha slid like a runner into home plate to rest just between Kagome's right side and the roots of the tree. For a moment everything was still. Kagome stared, unable to breathe while Lady Death landed. Then Inuyasha stirred.

"Uuunnn…"

Slowly, his voice found its normalcy. He raised his head and blinked his blurred vision. He was on his belly; face down, practically embedded head first into the roots of a tree. He shook his hair free of the dead grass and dirt that had anchored itself in there as he slid to a stop. He rose up on his elbows and knees, shaking his body like a dog. There he paused a moment, looking at the tree roots, but really trying to assess just what had happened. His peripheral vision caught the sight of Kagome's shoes to his right, while his other senses caught the energy of someone directly behind him. He gathered his feet under him to try and stand, but the sound of a blade being drawn made him whip around so fast that the tripped on one of the roots. He landed in the small ditch on his back that he was just face down in.

_SHINK!_

Lady Death had drawn Apocalypse and was advancing towards Inuyasha. As he landed on his back, he scrambled to regain his footing to stand. It seemed the roots of the tree betrayed him with every plant of his feet on them. His eyes were large as they focused first on her face, then the blade tip. A determined look on her face as she met his with the top ridge of the triangular sword as a focus, she brought the blade tip down to his throat. Her eyes never left his. Inuyasha's eyes followed the tip until he couldn't see it anymore, but felt it. He continued to scramble until he was flush against the tree.

_Shit! What happened? What did I do?_

He swallowed hard; his flesh pressed slightly against the blade tip enough to feel its sharpness. His breath came in quick, shallow gasps. For the first time in his life since he was a pup, he felt fear. The same fear he had when he ran for his life from large demons thru the forest. He ha hid in the hollow of one of the trees until it was safe. Yet here he was again, almost in a tree, fearing for his life.

"Lady Death! Wait! Stop! He might not remember what happened!"

Kagome pleaded, trying to put herself between them. The Queen of Hell raised her offside hand at her, gesturing for silence. The others approached, but kept their distance safe.

Inuyasha couldn't focus his mind to feel hers. All he felt was sheer anger, an incredible focus, and a fluctuation of powers from the want to pity, and the desire to kill. He looked into the pale eyes of his captor, and then she spoke.

"Do you seek Death, Poppet?"

He swallowed again, wishing her blade wasn't so close as to feel it meet his flesh every time his heart beat in his throat. or when he swallowed. He could feel the blade's energy starting to awaken, ready for its mistress' command.

Not a good place to be.

She asked again. "Do you seek Death? For if that is what you want, rest assured I can give you release right here, right now."

His gaze flicked from hers, to Kagome, to the others, and hers again. Kilala had come out of her hiding in the shack in her normal form. She walked up to Inuyasha, meowed, and walked into his lap. He strained his eyes down to see her, but knew she was waiting for his answer like everyone was. His fear subsided a bit as he heard a purr. He met Lady Death's gaze again, and gave his answer.

"No, I don't."

He was able to catch his breath and return it to normal. Kilala's presence in his lap and her purring was calming him down.

Lady Death spoke again. "I see a fire and determination in you that reminds me of myself. But it is raw, unhoned, and untrained. You throw yourself too much to the bloodlust when you loose your temper, and if you wish to best your opponent, that is not the way to go. If you give in to your anger, fear, and hatred, you will become a slave to it."

She lowered the blade tip slightly so it no longer pressed against his throat. He was grateful for that, and listened intently.

She continued. "Swear fealty to me, as my student, under my protection, and I will teach you to take that fire of yours and harness its power to rival nothing your world has seen before. I will teach you to use your mind to outthink, outmaneuver, counteract, or if necessary, kill. I will show you to hone all of your abilities and those of your blade until the two of you are one. From what I have seen so far, the blade calls to you, but there are times when you do not heed it. You rely too much on it as a weapon and not as an extension of you. Thru me, you will learn all of these things. It may be a long process, it may not. But when the time comes to where you no longer need my help, yet ask for it, that is and will be the day you become a Master, and can stand at my side as an equal, as well as earn the title of Lord to your name. What say you to that, Poppet?"

Inuyasha's eyes went wide again. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Here was someone who saw the power in him and was willing to train him! He hadn't had that before, and despite the fact that he wouldn't readily admit it, he did use Tetsusaiga too much as a weapon. He had spent most of his life defending himself and others with a "sword", and not realizing its true call to him. The call that was the spirit of his father that flowed thru his veins and gave Tetsusaiga life.

"You… you would do that for me?" He stammered.

But his eyes and ears noticed something then. The slow pat-pat-pat of a red liquid. His nose picked up the unmistakable smell of a rusty tang. Blood. He saw it dripping from her left side.

"You're bleeding." He said.

He wasn't sure if she noticed, or even felt it. Lady Death turned her offside briefly to look at the wound. There were four parallel gouges and a fifth one at a halfway mark going from her hip up to her ribs. Those marks could only have been made by a set of claws, and judging by the amount of blood that flowed freely, the wounds were deep. Lady Death turned her side back, and fixed him with a different look. It was a cross between admonishment and disgust.

Inuyasha started remembering glimpses then. He remembered feeling his body shift. He felt the surge of youki thru his veins. He tried to catch himself in time, but his adrenaline and bloodlust rage had been too much. He didn't remember it all; it was like he was in a dream. His left hand closed into Kilala's fur, and noticed something on his fingertips and claws. It was dried blood. Some of it was still fresh, like under the claws; the rest of it had already obtained it reddish-brown hue from drying, and was starting to flake off.

"Oh my god!" Kagome gasped. "I'll get the medical kit."

She ran back into the shack to her backpack and grabbed it. When she returned, she saw the scenery hadn't changed. Lady Death still had Inuyasha at sword point, though not so threatening now. Inuyasha was looking from his hand, to her side, and back again. The look on his face was confusion, uncertainty, and disbelief. He looked up again into the pale eyes, his voice shaky.

"Did I… did I do that?"

Her gaze softened a little. She backed Apocalypse off a bit. There was no longer a need for a threat.

"It is nothing. I have experienced worse." She replied, shaking her head slightly.

Kagome approached with the medical kit. She popped it open and grabbed the cotton balls, bandages, and disinfectant. She glanced at Apocalypse, a little uncertain about approaching. It was like looking at a mirror image of yourself in the blade, if you had an identical twin that wasn't matching what you'd expect to see. She had a small twinge of fear that showed in her face, but the reflection in the blade showed back the look she had when concentrating an arrow on its shot before she let it fly. _How weird._

"Umm… are you going to put your sword away? Because it'll be hard for me to treat those gouges while dancing around it." She asked nervously.

Lady Death glanced at her. "My sword arm's side is not where the injury is, mistress."

"Yeah well, can you just put it away? It makes me nervous." Kagome said, slightly irritated. She was already kneeling down and readying the cotton balls with disinfectant.

Lady Death returned her gaze to Inuyasha. "You have not given me your answer, Poppet, not yet. So I ask again, what say you?"

He snapped out of his small trance, eyes fixed on hers again. He felt humiliated. Humiliated for snapping at Kagome, for letting his temper get away from him before he changed, and most of all, he had hurt—let alone tried to kill—a complete stranger whose only crime had been protecting him from certain death while Kagura was there. His gaze lowered a bit, showing his shame.

"I'm sorry, for injuring you. I'm sorry for letting my temper get away. Kagome, I'm sorry for snapping at you also. You didn't deserve that." His gaze apologetic to her.

Kagome looked at him, sighed, and smiled. Her smile was an unspoken word of forgiveness to him. He was relieved. He looked again at Lady Death.

"If you are offering to train me how to be a better swordsman, to be one with my sword, then I will forever be your willing and grateful student. Show me what I need, and I promise all of myself in return. My word is my bond. I accept, Teacher."

Lady Death slowly withdrew the sword's point from his throat and held it at a neutral pose between them. She paused a bit, as if analyzing his answer. She lowered her eyelids before responding.

"Mmm hmm… you learn humility quick, Poppet. There may be hope for you yet. But first," she removed Apocalypse's scabbard from her hip, sheathing the sword.

_SHTOCK!_

"I believe a cleansing in that wonderful stream before the doctoring would do us both some good."

She glanced sideways at Kagome, emphasizing her need to get the blood dirt, and sweat off of her. It would also give her a chance to speak with Inuyasha one-on-one. He just might open up then.

She extended her hand towards him to help him up from the tree roots. He hesitated slightly, and then took her offer.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of white appeared in both of their minds' eye. They locked gazes, and for a brief moment had the same vision. It was of a fiery nature—a hill engulfed in flames, with the ground opening up into a wide chasm. At the top of the hill was a sword. A sword with a glowing red jewel in its handle. It called to Lady Death, but laughed maniacally at Inuyasha.

"Lady Deaaaath… Mistress… I await you… come to meee…"

"Inuyashaaaa—hahahaha… you pathetic half-breed!"

"AUGH!"

Simultaneous gasps came from both their mouths. They broke contact quickly. They looked at each other with confusion and slight understanding at what had transpired.

To Lady Death, the scenery was none other than Hell. But what was that sword, and why did it call to her?

To Inuyasha, the sword was all-too-familiar, and it had not been completely destroyed. His conquering of the sword was not as complete as he had once thought. This would mean that Sesshoumaru would get involved again. Yes, he would have to talk privately to her about that. About everything. He realized that in order for her to be a successful teacher, and him a successful student, there must not be any secrets between them.

He set Kilala aside and stood up, brushing himself off. He let out a big sigh before looking at Kagome and the others.

_They might not understand in what, or why, I have to say._

"We're going to take a walk to the stream, close to where we met. It will do us both some good right now."

Short, maybe not so sweet, and to the point.

"Do you want us to come along?" Kagome asked.

"No, no. Stay here. My 'teacher' and I need to speak about possible… things. But mostly I'm sore—a sliding face plant from five _'sits!'_ will do that to ya."

He glowered at her with a smirk. She blushed slightly.

"Do not forget to retrieve your sword, Poppet. You will need it to start your training." Lady Death looked his way, a slight smile on her lips.

His eyes lit up, and for a moment, Kagome and the others were sure they had seen Inuyasha smile.

He trotted over to Tetsusaiga, but hesitated. He looked back at his teacher, unsure if the barrier remained or not. She nodded her head, a silent gesture to him that he could hold it again. He grabbed the hilt with no repercussions, and pulled it from the ground. He could swear he heard it sing with release. He returned to the shack to grab the scabbard, almost skipping in his movements.

"Do dogs skip?" Sango giggled in Miroku's ear. Miroku was taken aback—she hadn't showed such… "intimacy" before.

_Hmmm…_ a slight smile on his lips.

"We won't be long." Inuyasha reassured them, and they set off for the stream.


	10. Revelations

** Disclaimer: I think we all know mine by now. Lady Death, don't own her. Inuyasha, not him either. This story is an original created from the abyss of my psyche, and is owned by me. Things will start to get a little more interesting from here on in future chapters. Special thanks to those who have reviewed, you are my 'living Muses. You know who you are. :)**

**Enjoy!**

**-------------------------------------------------------------- **

**Terms used in this chapter:**

"**aye" or "yay"- Old English/Renaissance term; 'yes'**

"**nay"- OE/Ren; 'no'**

"**poppet"- OE/Ren; term of endearment for a child or a little person**

"**mayhaps"- OE/Ren; 'maybe'**

"**musoka"- Japanese; 'day dreamer'**

"**sensei"- Japanese; 'teacher'**

"**megami"- Japanese; 'goddess'**

"**shi"- Japanese; 'end of life'**

"**fujin"- Japanese; 'woman'**

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **

**Chapter 10.**

**Revelations **

**(interlude—Naraku's castle)**

Kagura landed at the top of the steps on the castle balcony. She was glad that she had escaped the Chaos Incarnate wave. She walked into the adjoining room to be greeted by Kohaku.

"The Master wants to see you as soon as you returned."

She glared at him. _Never a moment's peace…_

"Very well." She followed him into the dojo room. It was dimly lit due to a few candles inside. Just beyond the shadows that danced in the light was the ominous figure of Naraku.

_Brooding as usual…_ she sighed.

"Naraku?" she asked. A flash of two red orbs appeared in the darkness. They were unnerving to look at, more so in the dark.

"What did you find, Kagura?" the low, dry voice of Naraku inquired.

"The energy seems to be concentrated in the forest, around an old well. But that's not the only thing. I found a trail of it that led me to an old acquaintance of yours… Kaede. The younger sister of the miko Kikyou, now aged."

"And?" Naraku's face came into view slightly as he leaned a bit forward. Kagura hesitated, wondering to herself whether she should tell him about the pale fury and her powers, or not. _From what I've experienced of this woman, she could mean the answer to my freedom._

"I found nothing. The energy ended at Kaede's home—"

Something shot from the darkness and wrapped around her throat. She was dragged towards the eyes she feared by a tentacle. The face of Naraku now in front of hers.

"Tell me, Kagura, why am I around your throat?"

His grip tightened, while she struggled to breathe.

"You seem to forget so quickly that I still have your heart under my control, and so you should be as well. Yet you continue to defy me. Did you thing I wouldn't know that you lie even now?"

He dropped her suddenly. She landed hard on the dojo floor, coughing as free air flowed again into her lungs. She glared up at him, silent.

"Do not look at me that way, lest you wish to join the rest of your brethren. How does the word 'absorb' sound to you?"

She gasped as the horror recalled in her mind.

"Who is this pale woman?" Naraku asked. The figure of Kanna appeared, holding her mirror. Naraku gazed at it, the scene of Kagura being bested by Lady Death and her sword's power. He frowned, but slowly displayed a smirk as he observed the creation and release of the Chaos Incarnate.

_Impressive. I must know more about her, _he mused. _She would make a good addition to the 'family'._

**(end interlude)**

"So Poppet, I wish to know more about your realm. You, your life, this world of yours—everything. If I am to the utmost to your benefit, it would be useful to not only myself, but to you as well."

The Goddess of Death eyed him thoughtfully. They walked side by side in the field where they first met. The forest passed had done them both some good to assess what had transpired in the day so far. It was midday when they reached the stream. Inuyasha had been unusually quiet, though to Lady Death, who did not know better, this was normal of him. Upon reaching the stream, Lady Death stopped and looked at him. He seemed to be deep in thought, and it occurred to her then that this was not normal.

"Poppet, did you heed my request?"

He was staring at the other side of the forest, across the stream, his mind wandering. Lady Death touched his shoulder and he started. He could have sworn he heard her utter '_musoka?_' to him.

"Wha—?" he blinked his mind back to her gaze.

"Welcome back to the world of the living. Your mind had left your body for a while, it seemed. Tell me, what did you encounter?"

She freed the sheath and sword from her hip and set it against a tree. Indeed, the very same tree where Apocalypse rested earlier. She started to remove her cloak, hanging it over a low branch when Inuyasha blushed and whipped around.

_How do I get into these things?_

"Uhh… wha… what are you doing?"

Trying to ignore the fact that there was a woman almost naked in his presence, and about to remove the rest of her clothes.

_How DO I get into these things?_

She had a slight amused expression while addressing the back of his head. She couldn't help but to chuckle.

"You are quite charming when you flush the same color as your robe."

He turned his head a bit her way, but kept his gaze averted. "How did you…?"

"I can see auras, energies fields or imprints, no matter where they come from. Plus, your actions betray the fact that you are embarrassed. Relax. I do not wish to have your humility continue unless there is a good reason for it. Turn around."

Her voice was commanding. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned full, still not looking at her. She saw the pink flush return to normal and waited until his embarrassment was gone. He quickly looked at her unintentionally, and before he blushed again or averted his gaze, she commanded again, but softer.

"Look at me, directly in the eyes."

He did, finding that he couldn't turn away again. He let his eyes take in everything that was her. Her clothing (or lack thereof), the length of her hair, her height. Imprinting it to memory without a second thought. She was, by his account, the same age as Sesshoumaru. Not much older than himself to where he felt as a little brother might be in awe of his sister. He could see himself as such in her eyes eventually.

"Good. You are doing what I was going to teach you first—showing respect. By meeting my gaze. But imprinting myself to memory goes beyond what I was going to start off with. It is not a bad act, do not judge it as such, for if anything should happen to either of one of us…"

"Don't say or think that, please! I can't stand the thought of loosing someone before I have a chance to know them!"

He was clearly worried about her.

"Who did this, and when?" He was opening up to her now, she thought, but hen he shut down. His gaze may have been strong, but his aura betrayed him still. His normal red aura was now the worried shade of orange tinged with grey spots. The color of sadness. Someone, or something, had hurt him badly. She turned the tables on him to get him to open up again.

"I know what it is like to be scared. To feel alone, without a known friend to you. I know what it is to loose one you know well, care for, and love."

He shot her a surprised look. She had hit the nail.

"Yes, Poppet, love. My mother, my lover Niccolo, my very self before I entered Hell. I was alone in a cruel, unknown world, surrounded by screams of terror and the smells of blood and burning flesh. But you know of this already. It is no worth repeating. So I shall answer your inquiries. What do you wish to know?"

He thought for a while about what would be appropriate or not or even significant. He felt silly as well, silly at himself because it was he who wanted this one-on-one talk. He shook his head as his mind flooded with questions. Finally, they settled.

"Just how old are you? You look to be the same age as my brother, yet you have spent over 400-some-odd years in Hell and have not shown it the way others would. No battle scars, not even wrinkled up bags of skin like Kaede has—why not? You are human, right? But you don't smell or have the feel of other humans, how is that? How can you call such spectacular attacks that I only saw a bit of thru the shades of the window? No demon I've ever encountered can do what I've seen so far, and I know Naraku can come nowhere near your power! What about weaknesses, do you have any? Why did the jewel shard you have turn purple?"

He finally caught his breath and wondered if perhaps he was asking too much.

Lady Death removed her spurs and walked into the water, towards the pool in the center. She lowered herself completely under the water, much to Inuyasha's confusion. She stayed under just enough for the water to permeate her everywhere. When she came to the surface, Inuyasha had not moved his stance. His hands rested on the handle of Tetsusaiga, his eyes still held the questions in them. She turned her injured side to have a look as the water beaded off of her.

To Inuyasha's bewilderment, her side was unscathed. No blood, no claw marks, not even a scar. Before he could ask his next barrage of questions, she gave her answers.

"I gained a tremendous amount of magickal abilities after I entered Hell. The most simple of which is the fast ability to heal. Your enemies will not hesitate to fell you if they sense you are weak. There is much magick in this stream, in the forest, in your realm. When one recognizes it, it is to their advantage if it can be utilized."

Inuyasha blinked in confusion. _What is she talking about? There's nothing magickal about this stream or the forest—it's just water and trees!_

She continued. "But as to how old I am, that would depend on which age you are speaking of. I was born on All Hallow's Eve in the Year of Our Lord 1331. I was but a mortal girl of ten and six years when the threat of Black Plague became real in my village, the same year that Matthias slew my mother. That was the Year of Our Lord 1347. When the village mob came for us, nine years had passed, making my age then five and twenty years. There is no known measure of time lost in Hell, and even though over four hundred years have passed for me since I have been in Hell, I have not aged. So again, it depends on which age you speak of. I am, physically, a woman who is five and twenty years. Yet I have resided in a Netherworld where time does not exist for over four hundred years, so then just how old would I truly be? Mayhaps if there is a scholar in your village who would know of the year I am in currently, then my 'true age' would be known…"

He stared blankly, letting it absorb into his mind. More answers she gave.

"I choose to remain in human form, though I did for a short time transform into something else. Remember my tale around the dinner fire? My scent is what I choose it to be. If ever I want to have one permanent, it would be the scent of the blood of a dragon. I have always liked it. If I do not wish to be felt by others, they will never know my aura. That is an advantage when it is needed to slay a foe. I do not have any weaknesses, save for the desire to have my life back, but I have since abandoned that and accepted my fate as the Avatar of He Who Reaps. My magickal abilities come from recognizing the magick around myself and utilizing it. As for the jewel shard, that is a mystery to even me. Mayhaps it was simply reacting to my uniqueness, as your friend monk observed?"

He was lost now, glancing left and right. She was amused again at his simple confusion as a small curl came across her mouth. But he must get out of the muck from their skirmish earlier and experience just what she was explaining to him.

"Come into the water, Poppet. Clothes or not, it is your decision, and it is no matter to me. Just to have the peaceful feel of water on you will clear your mind and center your confusion."

He looked at her like she was Shippou throwing one of his fits. He did have a funk about him, he wouldn't deny that. He just felt a little weird. How "bad" could it be, he thought. He removed the top of the Fire Rat robe, but kept the rest on. No need for anyone to see the rest of him. Tetsusaiga was laid next to Apocalypse against the tree, and he waded in. It was a bit cold at first and he startled, but quickly got used to it. He met her at the pool in the stream, shaking a bit for some inane reason.

The White Goddess looked down when she noticed his trembling.

"Cold?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"Me? Naw…" He tried to hide it. Not a very good liar.

"You lie like a dog." She kidded. He glowered at her while crooking an eyebrow. She held out her hands over the very top of the water, looking at it pensively.

Inuyasha kept watching her curiously, and then decided that it must be some sort of exercise or lesson. He mimicked her moves. The sensation of it was indescribable at first, but his mind soon registered the sense of floating. His mind raced at the sensations after that: soft, peaceful, electric, powerful, and yet fragile.

He lightly flexed his claws until they dipped below the surface and giggled at the springy sensation. Lady Death eyed him as his aura changed from the worried orange to bubblegum pink with red sparks. He was happy now. _He will learn quite quickly if he is taking to mimicking me already. I may not need to explain much to him. _

"Close your eyes, Poppet. Tell me the first thing that comes into your mind."

Watching him intently as he did what she asked, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

"Hmm… stillness, calm… peaceful. Warmth, protection… mother."

He slowly opened his eyes to the overhanging branches of the tree. Thinking Lady Death still wished for him to speak what was in his mind, he spoke a word that had no meaning in his heart, yet meant everything.

"Father…"

Lady Death glanced up with a quirky grin. _He sees it now. Excellent._

Inuyasha lowered his head and met her gaze. His eyes were a glowing a deep gold and his aura was the faintest purple. He looked around at the rest of the water, the edge of the forest to his right, and to their swords at the left. He saw Tetsusaiga's energy as it slowly pulsed a muted red glow. Then he noticed Apocalypse. His eyes narrowed in somewhat disbelief.

"Whoa… it's gold with small white sparks—no, it's lightning!" He looked back at the White Goddess.

"I understand now—what you mean. I see it. It's everywhere! But trees and water and swords aren't demons—how can I see… whatever these things have?

The box that held Pandora's curiosity had been creaked open.

"It is not what they have, more than what they are, Poppet. We are no different, not just you and I, but humans, animals, half demons and demons as well—we are all connected. The air we breathe, the water we drink and bathe in, the ground we travel upon, the fire we create as well as the fire within—it is all connected. Just in a different manifestation. The swords are made from Earth and Fire. Earth in the form of Metal. Trees—Earth and Water. The stream—again, Water. Water forms the Air for us to breathe when it dries. And so, what are we?"

She raised her hands out of the water.

"We are… everything! We're all connected!" His aura glowed a radiant red. He had centered and as now ready to trust her completely.

"Excellent! Well done indeed, Poppet!" She beamed proudly and took a hand of his.

The scene of a sword atop a hill engulfed in flames came into view again. Inuyasha tried to shake the image out of his mind by shaking his head. Lady Death didn't waver.

"Do not fight me, Poppet. Tell me about this sword. Why do you fear it?" Her voice calm and focused.

He opened his mind to hers as they became one image. He could swear he was standing in the pit of hell itself, staring at the one sword that threatened to destroy Kagome's time, the one he dared try to wield and tame, and the one sword that had horrific consequences.

He shuddered, but she needed to know about it; he felt a portent of things to come.

"The sword is named Sou'unga—it has no meaning. Only one person I know of besides me has ever had it in their possession and has been able to wield it successfully—my father. A malevolent spirit that is bent on total destruction possesses it, and how my father managed to keep it under control I will never know. No one knows who forged it or how it came into my father's hands, but something about having 'demonic blood' keeps it at bay. Totosai, the demon-smith, told me that it was on of three that my father had."

He glanced back at Tetsusaiga resting against the tree, nodding in its direction.

"Tetsusaiga, the sword that I have, is known as the Sword of Man. It has the power to slay on hundred demons in a single stroke. It is the protector of human life. Its name means 'Iron Crushing Ability'.

The second sword, the Tenseiga, belongs to Sesshoumaru. It is known as the Sword of Heaven; its name is 'Heavenly Ability'. Its power can save one hundred lives in a stroke.

But Sou'unga… it is the Sword of Hell. It has the power to raise the dead, but unlike Tenseiga, those who are raised by Sou'unga's power are left with no life in them. They are the living dead."

He returned his gaze to her. Lady Death began to understand why the sword called her its mistress.

Who better to wield the Sword of Hell than the Queen of Hell herself?

But there was more to this blade as Inuyasha continued.

"Sou'unga has but one ability—the Dragon Twister. It forms as a cyclone of dragon energy straight from Hell itself, destroying everything in its wake. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that damned sword came from Hell. Do you know?"

The Goddess of Death had barely a perceivable smile on her otherwise stone-hard features. She already had it in her mind that she would return to Hell, now she had all the more reason to. If this sword was as destructive as Inuyasha claimed it to be, what would it do while in Hell?

_What has it done already?_ She wondered.

"No, I do not, but I intend to know. It is only a matter of timing, mayhaps, that the portals shall align again for me to return to Hell."

Inuyasha broke the psychic link by breaking her hold. He panicked. Eyes wide, he searched her face for what she had meant.

She meant to claim Sou'unga as hers!

"Teacher, Sensei… I beg of you. Don't pursue this blade. No good will come of it. Demon swords should only be used by demons, or at least by half-demons like me. No telling what it would do in human hands—no, wait! One human did have Sou'unga briefly, and although he was living dead and needed Sesshomaru's severed arm to hold the sword, nothing but destruction came about."

He dipped underwater briefly and started heading back for the shore. His aura was again the worried shade of orange.

"Poppet, what are you afraid of, and why?" Lady Death was going to get answers, even if it meant a sword fight would ensue.

"I am not afraid of that wretched sword, if that's what you're thinking!"

He was out of the water and putting on the top of his robe, shaking his wet mop of hair free of water. He reached for his sword, but stopped. Looking back at his teacher, he could sense he had made a mistake in lashing out at her.

Lady Death said not a word, but just stared. That stone-cold stare could melt even the snow off of Mt. Fuji. He abandoned his desire for the sword and stood upright, hands in the sleeves of his robe.

"I'm sorry." He breathed out deeply, centering himself. He could already tell she would not be fooled by his covering-up again. It was pointless to even try.

"I'm afraid of being killed while I'm human. I'm afraid of loosing myself to my youkai blood if I'm not careful. I'm afraid of loosing Kagome to Naraku, if he ever got it in his head to come after her for her ability to sense the jewel shards. I'm afraid of loosing her to her own time once the jewel is whole—would that ever happen… it petrifies me!"

He shook his head to free his mind from the plagued images. Lady Death walked out of the water towards him, reaching for her cloak. He met her gaze again.

"But I have dreams as well. I dreamed once of being completely human, only to have that dream fade away into a haunting reminder that I have no control over. I dream of being a full youkai, but without loosing my mind or my human heart. I dream of a life possibly with the woman I love, whomever she might be. And, despite the fact that it's utterly impossible, I dream of a better life with my brother, Sesshoumaru. He knew our father. Went on patrol nightly with him. Fought by his side in many battles. Things, events, _memories_ that I will never have. It baffles me to no end why exactly Sesshoumaru despises me. What the fuck did I ever do to him!"

Lady Death secured her cloak around her neck. She admitted to herself silently that she wasn't good at consoling, but she did have a sympathetic ear. She let him vent his frustration in a session of fuming breaths and gritted teeth.

"Come, Poppet. Let us return to the homestead. The others will have wondered just how long two beings can take to clean after wounds." She held out her hand signaling towards the path back.

Inuyasha gave one final huff and looked up at her. He felt as if all of his defenses were being knock down, one by one.

He couldn't have been more close to the truth in that thought. He reached for Tetsusaiga, while she for Apocalypse, both securing their swords at the sides again.

"What of this 'woman you love, whomever she may be'? It sounds to me that there is more than one?" The White Goddess inquired as they started back down the path.

He wasn't expecting that. _Damnit! I can't hide anything from her—why am I even trying now?_ He raised his brows in confusion on just how to answer that.

"Uhh… well…" _Mother puss-bucket! How DO I explain this? I guess just come right out and say it then._

"I loved a woman named Kikyou… years ago. She was Kaede's older sister—you know, the one who was given the jewel to purify it and keep it from harm. Well, she… came back from the dead, so to speak. But she's not really living. She needs to have mortal souls placed into her being in order to stay among the living, so she's no really dead either. It's so bloody complicated."

"Was she one of the dead raised by Sou'unga?"

Lady Death was all-too-curious about the Hell-sword for his taste, but he would not mention it. Not while she was his Sensei, at least. He would mention it if she made good with her promise to actually obtain the sword, but he would stay quiet until then.

"No, she wasn't. A demon-witch named Urasuei stole a portion of her graveyard soil, dug up her ashes, and made a 'body' for her out of clay. All to manipulate Kikyou to get the jewel for her own evil purposes. But Urasuei wasn't counting on the one thing Kikyou needed in order to return fully—her soul. That had been reborn into Kagome. Gods, Kagome looks SO MUCH like Kikyou it's hard for me to keep them separated at times!"

He raised his head back, mock shouting to the sky. Frustration at its finest.

Lady Death began to realize why he seemed so torn and held back. His heart was in two places, as he was in two beings.

"You speak of Kikyou in the past tense. What of Kagome? Do you love her as well?"

"I don't know. She is a kind person with a warm heart, and a fighter's spirit. It seems at times that she puts too much thought into everyone else and not of herself. I've lost count of how many times I've had to save her ass." He chuckled at the memories of all the life-saving times.

"Kikyou was going to use the Jewel to help me become human. We were going to have our lives become one together after that point. But then Naraku came, and ripped all of our worlds apart. Mine, Sango, Kohaku, Miroku, even Kagome. That bastard won't stop until all around is nothing but evil. But one day, he will meet his demise at my hands."

He clenched his fists in future triumph. Already a plan was forming. Lady Death sensed the bloodlust for battle on his aura. _Soon, Poppet, you will be stronger than even you could have imagined. Then, woe to any foe that dares to challenge you._

"If you were faced with the decision of being with Kikyou as a human, or with possibly Kagome…"

"I never said anything about being with Kagome! You're reading way too much into this."

His heart betrayed his mind with images of kissing Kagome. _But I was under the power of my youkai blood at the time—she did that to bring me back… didn't she? It was all that Moon Princess Kayuga's doing! But then why… did I… hug her?_

"Kagome was a fool. She could have been killed at my hand!"

Forgetting for the split moment that he wasn't walking alone, he squinted his eyes shut. _I just did NOT say THAT, did I?_

"Pardon?" _Ah ha… so he does harbor feelings for the young mistress. That shall be his fire in the training. Hmm, mayhaps I should suggest a more worthy weapon for her as well…_ The Goddess of Death mused.

"Nothiiiinnnggg…" Inuyasha tried yet again to cover up. _Shit—why am I doing that again? _

"Poppet, if you have such deep feelings for the mistress, is she aware of your heart?"

They had reached the shack at last. Inuyasha's heart was in his throat as he fumbled for an answer. His pulse quickened even more when the object of his thoughts had come out to see if they had returned yet or not.

"There you two are! Finally, geeze, and here I thought Souta bathed too long! Inuyasha, why are you blushing?" Kagome noticed he was matching his robe.

"Poppet is embarrassed at my 'indecency'." With that, Lady Death closed the front of her cloak around her, slyly glancing at her charge. He let out a silent breath of relief. Lady Death stood closer to his ear and whispered.

"You must tell her of your feelings, if ever the unthinkable does happen. Do not let a faint heart remain so."

He glanced from her to Kagome and back, nervously scratching his whispered-into ear.

"Now then, let's have a look at those gashes… what? What happened? Where did… they… they're gone!" Kagome stared in amazement at Lady Death's side, pulling back the cloak to reveal nothing.

The White Goddess looked down. "Aye, they are. Mayhaps 'tis my magick combined with the stream?" She knew it was, of course. But to explain that to Kagome hadn't crossed her mind at all.

Kagome blinked up at her, dumbfounded. Lady Death changed the subject. "You, mistress, do you know of a scholar in this village? I wish to know some things that Poppet is unable to tell me."

"Scholar? You mean of a teacher, or just someone who knows a lot of things? I attend a school, well, not much these days due to hunting jewel shards, but I have an education. What do you want to know?" Kagome was eager to know more about this fascinating new person in their lives in her own way.

"Pray tell me, what Year of Our Lord is this in which we are in? I fear me, that not only have I entered a _where_, but also a _when _while I came to your world. Mayhaps… a different… manifestation of it?"

A bright idea came to Kagome. She had left her history notes on the Sengoku Jidai at Kaede's shack one time. _I wonder if they're still here?_

"Umm, well this timeline is known as the Sengoku Jidai, or Feudal Era, of Japan. Hold on, let me go get something." She ducked into the shack, rummaged around, and with a triumphant "yes!" emerged with her lost notes.

"Okay, the Feudal Era began during the Muromachi Period, year 1467, and 'supposedly' it will last until 1615 when final peace is restored in the soon-to-be Edo period." Kagome repeated off her notes.

"What do you mean when you say 'supposedly' and 'soon-to-be'? The terms were so strange to Lady Death.

"Ahhh… yes, well… I'm from… the future. What you would say Year of Our Lord… currently, in my time it's the year 2006. I've also traveled back in time like you, well maybe. What year were you thinking of?" Kagome scratched her head.

"Two thousand and six? This means I am older than I had first thought. My time in Hell has been far longer." Lady Death was now the one confused.

"Wait a minute—just how old are you? What year were you born?" Kagome asked.

"Year of Our Lord 1331. I was ten and six years of age when the Black Plague struck my village…"

_That was from the years 1347 to 1351 in Europe_, thought Kagome.

"… and another nine years had passed when I was burned at the stake and went to Hell. I was twenty and five years then, but I did not age physically." Lady Death could see Kagome was working mathematically, counting out on her fingers.

"Let's see… in here it's the year 1572, or so… but if she were to go to my time… well, brace yourself. You are either 241 years old, or 675 years old, depending on which timeline you go by. Either way, you are way more older than Inuyasha, and definitely older than Sesshoumaru. I think he just might be the oldest thing around here, isn't he? Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha was staring wide eyed and wide mouthed. She's an ancient! What power has she obtained over the years?

"INUYASHA!" Kagome yelled.

"Hai—Kami! Kagome, you don't have to yell! I have sensitive ears you know! What did you ask?" He glared back at her.

"How old is Sesshoumaru?"

"Why should I know that? Why not ask him the next time we run into him, if you're _that_ curious." Inuyasha crossed his arms defiantly.

"Geez, you're no help!" Kagome huffed.

"Poppet…" Lady Death warned.

"I don't really know, we're not exactly close, nor do we ever talk except to beat the shit out of one another. I've heard that full demons age 1 year to every 100 human years… he was alive when my father went to rescue my mother and myself from the palace the night I was born—Totosai has told me that happened over 200 years ago—but we know that the ol' man can be forgetful. Sesshoumaru looks to me to be about… 23? So I'm guessing maybe he's 230? Possibly older."

_Wow, is he that old?_ Inuyasha marveled.

"So then, if you are half-demon, what is your age?" Lady Death inquired.

"I guess, because of my half-human blood, it would be a half-factor. That is, I would age 1 year to every 50 human years. My mother told me when I was younger that I was born on the longest day of the year 1505. I think Kikyou told me that I looked about 15, before she pinned me to the Tree of Ages… fifty years went by, but I didn't age—just like you. When Kagome awakened me—some, what? Two years ago? I look like I'm only 17… so _chronologically_ that would make me… 69? Hey, I'm your grandpa's age now!"

He kidded at Kagome.

"Very funny. He'll love that, but don't go telling him next time we're back in my era. He'll have you playing shuffleboard or chess with his cronies in no time!"

Kagome had to giggle herself at that image.

"Or, if you really want to get technical… when I go with Kagome to her time, I'm about 501 years old. Confused yet? I am. I'm just me—Inuyasha—don't care how old I am."

Hands on the hilt of Tetsusaiga matter-of-factly.

The Goddess of Death was at a loss. She shook her head, letting the told information sink in. _I'm older than I thought, much, much older. Not quite an ancient compared to others that I know, but to these people, they cannot fathom it. I must find a way to return to Hell and seek out Sou'unga. I must find out what has become of my friends there also…_

Too many images flooded her mind and clouded her thoughts. She should be focusing her mind and energies on Inuyasha now; the rest would have to wait.

_Mayhaps I should try the well sometime? If the chance is right… or if the Nexus has turned the right portal again? _

_Goddess!_

She caught the aura of an unknown origin in the woods. Hiding, and wishing to stay hidden. For the time being. No real threat, to anyone for that matter. Just an observer. But something was oddly familiar about this aura, almost as if it was standing right next to her…

Lady Death turned to look at Kagome, and then turned slowly looked into the forest. _The same energy. Could it be?_

"You, mistress, and you Poppet."

They both stopped their conversation and startled at her. She had the look of the warrior on her face again. Like she did when she faced Kagura earlier.

"Stay here." She warned and headed in the direction of the aura. She undid the peace-tie on Apocalypse as she went. Just in case.

The energy imprint led her into a small clearing concealed by the trees from the outside, but one could see everything if they were the observer on the inside. Lady Death stopped in the middle of the clearing, her senses focused all around. It, or whoever, was right behind her.

"I am not so easy a target you will soon find if you choose to let loose your arrows on me." She warned.

The sound of drawn-tight leather relaxed. Lady Death turned around as a figure in priestly attire came out from behind its hiding tree.

"The Megami Shi Fujin. I had heard tales of you. What you looked like when you appeared. I had to see for myself. You DO exist. Have you come here to collect my eternal soul? You will find yourself gravely mistaken. I have no soul, but I live on."

Lady Death recognized the energy now. "Kikyou. Protector of the Shikon no Tama. We meet at last."

The White Goddess' energy flared lightly. Kikyou didn't flinch.

Lady Death raised her hand, pointing at Kikyou. "You dare to draw weapons upon me? Few have dared and triumphed to tell of it. As for your immortal soul, that will be mine in time. You walk upon this Earth as a half-life, collecting the souls of the departed in hopes to bring yourself back from your fate. But you have attempted to cheat Death, and that is something that I cannot abide by."

She raised her energies for the Touch of Death. She approached Kikyou, but hesitated. Something about the look in the priestess' eyes had no fear. She looked like she would neither fight, nor welcome it.

"I understand. But please, my mission here in this time has not been completed. There is something I must do before I willing pass on."

Kikyou stared into the silver eyes of Death Herself. _She is more beautiful than the stories have told._

"I am listening." The Goddess of Death was intrigued.

"I wish to kill a monstrosity before my life will finally end. The reason why there is great evil in this world as we speak."

Lady Death eyes narrowed. "Pray tell, does this walking corpse have a name?"

Kikyou felt as if her mind was been invaded. It felt as if a warm water washing over her senses. _I could easily slip away… so peaceful… NO!_

"His name is Naraku."

_It all comes to the beginning now, _the White Goddess pondered. "Indeed. The very same being who slayed you while in the guise of your lover, Inuyasha. The one who disguised himself as you to kill him in return. The one who has many 'spawn', one of which challenged me, and lost pitifully. I know of who it is you speak."

Kikyou lowered her gaze. She must not be so bold as to openly defy a Goddess, especially the Goddess of Death.

Lady Death lowered her energy. _Not now, the end will be the same. If Poppet is to be with her, she will stay until his choice is made. After that, she is mine._

"Very well. You have your reprieve. But you cannot escape me. I will find you in the end." She warned.

"Hai, Megami. Arigato." With that said, Kikyou bowed in respect, turned around and walked off into the forest from which she came.

Lady Death returned to the shack to find Inuyasha telling of his adventure in the stream to everyone. His eyes as wide as Shippou's while telling his tale. He stopped mid-sentence when he sensed his Sensei had returned.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"A memory of the past, Poppet. Your past, but you should not concern yourself with such things now. In time you will. This time, however, is meant for your training. I think me I smell the wonders that is the noonday meal inside. We shall eat, then start your training." She motioned for them to go inside.

Inuyasha eyed her indifferently, but his growling stomach and the excitement to begin his lessons overrode his questioning.

But he would not forget what it was that was on his mind.


	11. Ramen and Horai Island

Yes, my faithful readers! As I have promised, I cranked out Chapter 11 before the end of the year (yay-- happy writer dance)! This chapter took a kind of funny twist to it, as you may notice. The Muses were having their Yuletide parties early it would seem. Spoilers of movie four (Fire on Mystic Island) are in this one, so if you haven't seen it yet--oops! Folly on you! (smile) As usual, I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death (folly for me!), this story is an original from the dark recesses of my mind (a slight warning when I get to future fight scenes!), and I am not getting paid any monetary compensation for this. My _payment_ is your reviews, and my _compensations_ are Hershey's Extra Dark chocolate, Pocky (tm), Ramen (tm), and Yan Yan (tm), all of which are at my expense. It's my brainfood to keep the Muses happy. Ever seen a Muse on chocolate? It's quite disturbing! But enough of that. Brightest Blessings to you and yours this holiday season, and once again, ENJOY!! )O(

**Terms used in this chapter:**

"**nozomi"-** Japanese for** "hope"**

"**nanoka"-** Japanese for** "seventh day"**

"**nashi"-** Japanese for** "pear"**

**Chapter 11**

**Ramen and Horai Island**

"Mmmm!" _Slurp. Gulp._

Inuyasha's joyous eating of Ramen was dwarfed only by Lady Death's silent sideways stare. He glanced up with a dredge of noodles hanging out of his mouth that were barely being tamed by his chopsticks. He blinked at his Sensei when he realized that his indulgence in lunch must look to her to be a combination of atrociousness, comedy, and disgust. He looked at Kagome who had stopped mid-bite and looked back at him with barely a suppressed twitching grin of her own. He looked back at his Sensei, who just let out an exacerbated sigh, closed her eyes, and slowly shook her head. Gasps of suppressed giggles and guffaws ensued from everyone around.

The group was used to Inuyasha's "wonderful table manners", and Lady Death found herself laughing along in due time. A rare moment for her.

_Gods above, are simply eating manners to be added to his training as well? _She thought.

"Mwaph?" Inuyasha asked with noodles still hanging out of his mouth, which only made the laughter turn into roars. Shippou rolled around, gasping for breath, and smacking the dirt floor. Tears of sheer enjoyment wetted his cheeks as he sat up, breathed in deep, and wiped them dry. Kagome reached into her backpack and handed him a napkin, grabbing one for her and the others. She handed one to Lady Death, who eyed it warily. The White Goddess then noticed Sango wiping her mouth free of something with the strange object.

"It's to help prevent your food from falling out of your mouth, or to stop excess liquid that might ruin your…"

Kagome paused briefly, not really sure if the word she was about to use was _appropriate_… "your clothes."

She finished, as Lady Death received the napkin and felt it curiously. She looked up at Kagome with a questioning expression, to which Kagome explained.

"It's made from paper—wood pulp—the inside of a tree that's been cut up into little bits and had water added to it. It's then spread out really thin to where it looks like bread dough, but sticky, and left to dry. When it's dried, it's cut up into whatever the need is."

Lady Death stared in barely discernable awe as she let her fingers rub together with the napkin between them.

_This… was once a tree! There is still life within this strange item from whence it came as well!_

She then eyed the meal in front of her. A bowl of Ramen, a small cup for tea, and three smaller bowls of yet more strange items. At the top of the ensemble was a pair of chopsticks. Laying the napkin into her lap, she picked up the bowl of Ramen and chopsticks, eyeing them strangely. She had no clue just how these were supposed to pick up the noodles… two simple sticks? She may as well use her hands. Better yet, if Kagome had a pair of tines in her strange pouch…

Inuyasha sensed the confusion in his Sensei and responded. His mouth still full of noodles, albeit no longer hanging out, he leaned forward with his own chopsticks to show her how to use them.

"Mere," he tried to say over his munching, "mike misph." He showed her his hand holding the sticks.

"Poppet, swallow your bite before trying somewhat coherent speech. The soldiers of Rome have more eating manners than you, and are far more barbaric." She admonished.

He quickly chewed and swallowed his bite down. His look was a cross between a glower and guilt. Miroku smirked as he sipped down the remaining liquid of his, blotting afterwards with his napkin, then reached for more soup. Kagome watched on as Inuyasha proceeded, ready to add in if needed.

Inuyasha continued on with clear thought. He was the sensei now, if only for a brief moment. Relishing the thought, he showed her step-by-step process in the fine art of using chopsticks. He took the sticks out of his hand and began his teaching.

"Spread your hand like this," showing his clawed fingers lightly spread. She complied.

"Good. Now take one of the sticks and lay it like a bridge across your third finger and behind your thumb. Okay, now take the other stick and lay it over the knuckle of your second finger to go alongside with the first one. Like this."

He placed the sticks in position for her. "Use your thumb to keep the lower one in place… yeah, that's it. Use the tip of your middle finger to hold it still, and use your index finger and the end of your thumb to work the top one. Like you're going to pinch something. Move the tip of your index finger like this," he showed her, "bringing the tips of the sticks together. There ya go! Now try picking up some noodles."

Lady Death balanced the chopsticks as she felt new muscles she never noticed before working in her hand. She reached for the bowl of Ramen, and stuck the chopsticks into the noodles. Forcing the sticks open, she clumsily closed then together in the pinching motion described, grabbing a small amount of noodles.

Carefully, she brought the portion towards her mouth, only to have her fingers let go at the last minute, dropping the portion of noodles into her top.

Inuyasha smirked and stifled a giggle quickly, remembering the first time he tried to master chopsticks

Lady Death cast an exacerbated look skyward and sighed. Reaching for her napkin after moving the sticks out of position, she retrieved the noodles and offered them to Kilala, which the neko gently took from her.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it the more you use them. Just gotta develop muscles in areas you didn't know you had before is all." Inuyasha said, satisfied that she had enough determination to try again until she succeeded.

Lady Death set the sticks in place again, grabbed the bowl of Ramen while remembering to hold the sticks in position as she did, and this time held them open as she stuck them into the bowl. Pinching them together, she gathered a sizeable amount of noodles that was larger than her first attempt. Mentally willing the sticks to stay in place with their prize, she brought it to her mouth in success.

It was a very different taste—a very different everything—than the food she was used to. She had no need to eat while in Hell, let alone time away from constant war to do so, but when she did eat it was mostly of animal flesh and drink of wine. She missed wine almost as much as her humanity, but was finding the brew of tea much to her liking.

She eyed the other three bowls curiously. One had some powder of a blood red color in it, one of a green paste, while the third had what looked like small, golden leaves of oddly-looking lettuce.

"Pray tell, what are these?" She asked while pointing to them with the sticks.

Kagome jumped in this time.

"The green paste is wasabi, or horseradish. The stuff that looks like lettuce is ginger root, and the red powder is curry, which is a spice. They are all used to enhance the flavor of your food. Ginger is crunchy, spicy just a bit, and a little sweet. The wasabi is VERY spicy—I just use a little bit, but you might like a lot more after you try it. The curry is also spicy, and it reacts differently to different people…"

"I'll say it does—that stuff burns my tongue!" Inuyasha piped up while sticking out his tongue to emphasize.

The White Goddess tried the ginger root first, setting a piece of it as is into her mouth. It was indeed as Kagome had stated—spicy just a bit, crunchy, and sweet but with a slight peppery taste as well.

_I like me this root, but it would be eaten by me just as is._

She tried the wasabi next. Heeding about it being very spicy, she smelled it first. Its odor was faint and seemed tame enough. She gathered a small amount placed it on the noodles, taking the portion in whole to her taste test.

The others all stopped eating in synch, watching and waiting to run with tea to her rescue, or to burst into laughter again, depending on how her taste would react.

Inuyasha's mouth twitched in one corner as he remembered his first taste of wasabi, although not as hot as curry, it still had a burn to it. His face frozen in macabre curiosity as he watched his Sensei examine the wasabi-tipped Ramen thru her tongue as she chewed. She furrowed her brow as she stared at the floor, unfocused. She noticed all eyes were on her for her opinion of the wasabi, to which she just pursed her lips together and sniffed. She glanced around at her audience with an expression of _'that was a tickle'_, a slow grin across her lips.

When she noticed Inuyasha's incredulous look, she decided to try the curry, as if answering a silent challenge.

Lady Death grabbed a large pinch of the red powder and sprinkled it on top of the noodles. She grinned to herself as she saw Inuyasha scooting away in a bit of a hurry from her.

Not only did he remember curry burning his tongue, but also he remembered running around the room, howling something that sounded remotely like _"Hot! Hot! HOT!!"_ flailing his arms in an attempt to cool his flaming tongue, all the while with said tongue hanging out.

The end result was him running at top speed outside to tackle the nearest poor villager that was carrying a pail of water.

He was going to clear the way in case there was a repeat event.

Lady Death gathered her chopsticks and attacked the noodles with curry on them, grinning like a mad woman as she did.

_It smells wondrous as it is melding with the noodles_, she marveled as she placed the portion inside her mouth.

It danced like sparks of fire on her tongue, heating up with each chew. The powder slowly worked its way to the back of her throat and up into her sinuses, causing her to cough and sniff simultaneously. She exhaled slightly as small droplets of sweat started to form around her nose and under her eyes, which started to water. She continued chewing as if unfazed, but did reach for her cup of tea in a quicker motion. She looked up at her group after washing the noodles down, exhaling in a "whoo!"

"Goddess—Dragon's Blood! This is a wondrous spice indeed!" She exclaimed as she reached for more curry, foregoing the wasabi altogether. An even larger pinch was placed on her noodles as she relished more of this spice, dubbed Dragon's Blood by her. She knew of the scent, now she had the taste.

Inuyasha snapped in disbelief as he scrambled without looking.

"Aww, HELL NO!!!"

In his haste to clear himself from the crazed woman that was his Sensei, he bowled over Kagome,

"Hey! Watch it!" who in turn fell into Sango,

"Whoa—look out!" and ended up in Miroku's lap, drenching everyone in Ramen soup.

The monk was not opposed to the idea of pretty girls being in such 'close quarters' with him, but it usually was him who was doing the "falling"—into his tried and true speech: _would you do me the honor of bearing my child? _

There they were, the four of them, a tangled mess of three humans and one hanyou, covered in Ramen.

Lady Death watched the scene happen that was all the grace and gusto of circus clowns portraying dominoes. She stopped her enjoyment of curry-topped Ramen as her eyes followed the kinetic energy unfold. She eyed her companions after the melee'… noodles hanging from limbs, hair, and sticking in clumps to other areas not mentioned.

There was a long silence as everyone assessed themselves and each other, slowly picking noodles off here and there.

Shippou, Kilala, and herself were the only ones that were spared. Kaede, being in the cooking room the whole time, came out to see what the noise was about. She stood in the entrance between, stunned. Looking at the White Goddess, and not missing a beat,

"So, do ye enjoy Ramen with curry then?"

Lady Death resumed stirring in the curry, replying, "Aye," glanced at her friends, then at Kaede, "that I do. It reminds me of mealtime at the castle when I was a child. Complete," she motioned to her Ramen-ites, "with the court jesters!"

Realizing that she was making light fun of a "sticky situation", the laughter once again ensued.

"Gods, Poppet. I have never laughed so much, so hard, and in so long as I have in the past moments here! It would appear that you will paying the stream another visit, aye?"

She eyed her charge. Inuyasha blew his Ramen hair out of his eyes. He hated baths, but in this case he would make an exception.

"I know of a hot spring that is near the next village from here. It's large enough for all of us, well there are rocks dividing it for privacy, thank Kami, so the boys can bathe in their own and be boys, and us girls can have privacy." Kagome stated.

Sango agreed. "I could use a hot spring right now." A startled _"Kya!"_ followed by a smack across skin broke the tension. In her efforts to get up from being a Ramen-ite, Miroku had seized the opportunity for a cheap feel.

"But Sango, I was only trying to help you up…" he sheepishly grinned. She glowered at him.

"As much as I like Kagome's Ramen for lunch, I don't like wearing it." She gritted her teeth and refrained from further scolding.

She shook her head free of the crown of noodles. "Besides, it would be a good chance to learn of any jewel shards in the area."

Kagome agreed. "And it would give _Nozomi_ a chance to see us in action as well!"

Lady Death stopped mid-bite and cocked an eyebrow. She quickly chewed down her bite without her gaze wavering.

"Nozomi?"

"Hai. It means 'hope'. It just… sounds better, to me at least, than what sounds so dark and foreboding as Death. Not that your name is bad," she waved her hands cautiously.

"I just feel weird calling you that, and I can't call you sensei because I'm not your student, and well…" Kagome shrugged.

"Nozomi, aye. It is, in its own way, my mortal name. It is acceptable. But," the White Goddess raised her finger for emphasis.

"I ask that you only call me this when we are in the company of each other, and not outside."

"And why is that?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Because, like she said before, to call one's self a certain name means that you own it—it is a part of who you are, and gives it power." Miroku explained.

"He's right. Besides, would you want someone like Naraku learning a part of your power—to use against you?" Sango added.

"Precisely." Lady Death's voice an icy monotone.

She set her bowl down and headed for the door, her cloak billowing as she walked. Grabbing Apocalypse, she glanced over her shoulder at her charge.

"Come Poppet, mistresses, and young masters. No time unlike the present to do such."

They all finished the rest of lunch and grabbed their items before heading out the door. Shippou gulped down the rest of his Ramen, letting out a small burp from too much air swallowing.

Lady Death grinned his way. "Well, make haste, young kit. You do not want to be left behind." She waited for him to scurry out of the shack with Kilala before turning to smile at Kaede, a silent thanks for the meal, and following herself behind.

The sun was a white-hot ember high in the sky. Lady Death closed her eyes and relished its warmth against her face.

_It has been far too long away for me. I like this. I like it **here**._

"Hey—are you coming?" Inuyasha called back to her.

The White Goddess' visions were white as the sun. A new path lay ahead for her, and with it, new friends, and new challenges. She nodded her head at Kaede's waving goodbye as she followed after the group, a rare smile showing as she walked on.

The walk to the hot spring and the next town was but a few miles, but it seemed to Lady Death to be forever. She was used to flying anywhere while in Hell, and at times walking was a rudimentary nuisance. She had almost forgotten the sensation of the earth giving way under her boots, the small snapping of twigs, or the soft crunch of gravel. She marveled to herself as the sensations reacquainted themselves to her. Before she knew it, they had reached the village and the area slightly beyond where the spring was.

A few of the people glanced strangely at her, but Inuyasha reassured her.

"Don't worry about it too much. They're used to my looks, and to them, you look just like another human that might need a lot of sun!" He kidded with her. She quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm going to find and speak with the village elder a moment. Maybe I'll get lucky." Miroku said, his voice trailed off just enough to attract Sango's ears. She turned his way to find him ogling yet another group of girls, and gave him a look that was burning a hole into the back of his head. He turned around and quickly flustered, stammering for an explanation to secure him from her wrath.

Sango's expression never changed as she approached him. Wrapping her arm around him, she drew him closer. Miroku flustered even more.

_Wha? What is she doing??_

Her wrathful glare melted into a softer look as she drew his head towards her. His heart was racing, his pulse quickening his breath in short, nervous gasps. His pupils dilated in excited anticipation.

_Is this it? She's finally going to kiss me?_

Sango's eyes were locked onto his as their faces drew closer. They were just a few hands width apart. She laced her fingers into his hair on the back of his head, drawing him to within inches of her lips. Miroku closed his eyes and puckered his lips in hopes of her kiss. When the kiss didn't come, he opened his eyes quizzically, mouth still puckered.

She smiled, raised her brows, and whispered,

"Don't… even… THINK about it."

Miroku's eyes bugged as he glanced to both sides, mouth still (again) puckered. Sango let go of his head and walked into the heart of the village, leaving him standing there with his impression of a fish.

"Uhh… Sango? Where are you going?" he called after her.

She turned slightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Aren't you going to seek out the village elder? You might get lucky, after all…"

"Dowhahuhduh?" His jaw dropped. He wasn't too sure how to interpret just what she had said, much less the implication. He stood there, raising his hand to flag her back, and realizing he was at a loss for words.

Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippou looked amongst themselves with expressions of "What was that?"

The Goddess of Death shook her head and chuckled. The three looked at her wondering what she found so humorous, to which she simply smiled and walked towards Miroku. Still standing there, looking very much like he should be likened to a fountain with water spouting forth, Lady Death stopped at his side, raised a hand, and closed his mouth.

"My lord monk," she started, "I think me that you have just been outwitted. By the very fox you do so hound. And where did it leave you? As a simpleton, dumbfounded and speechless. A classic example of what it is to be bested. Take note, Poppet, this is but one example of humility."

The rest giggled at Miroku's expense. He quickly decided to save face and chase after his "quarry".

"Uhh… Sango? Wait for me!" He ran after her with Kilala following into the crowd.

"BROTHER!"

The sound of an ecstatic, high-pitched squeal came forth from the crowd ahead of them. No sooner did the attention of the group focused towards the new sound, and then it did take shape. A little girl about the age of Shippou came running forth and tackled Inuyasha in a flying leap. He wasn't prepared for it, and staggered a couple of steps back as the child latched on to his midsection.

"Oomph!" A slight gasp from having been tackled escaped his lungs. The child raised her head and gleefully smiled. She had blue hair and her ears appeared to look like fins. Inuyasha recognized her then and returned her hugs, giving her a noogie on her head.

"Heya runt—how ya doing?"

"I'm so happy to see you! Look—I lost a tooth!"

She pulled back the side of her mouth to show a hole where a canine had been on the bottom. She wiggled the tip of her tongue thru it.

Inuyasha grinned. "It's about time you got some real teeth."

He set her down and glanced at the group remaining. Kagome and Shippou beamed happily, while Lady Death looked questioningly.

"Brother?" she inquired, crooking an eyebrow.

"Ahh… heh heh… well, not exactly." Inuyasha flustered. "She's a half-demon, like me. I guess she finds me a 'brother' in that sense." He scratched his head and smoothed down his robe.

Kagome bent down to be at eye level. "Hello, Ai. Do you remember me? And Shippou?"

"Of course I do. How could I forget the people who helped get the others and myself off of Horai Island and away from the Four War Gods? We owe everything to you. Especially you, brother!" Ai turned around and smiled again at Inuyasha. She turned back and focused on Lady Death, eyes slowly panning up her height to meet her face.

"Wow… you're really tall! For a lady. What's your name?" Ai blinked up.

Lady Death followed Kagome's example and crouched down. Placing a hand upon Ai's shoulder, she marveled at her eyes. Ai had the biggest, sea-foam blue eyes she had ever seen.

"You have the bluest eyes. I am called," she paused and glanced at Kagome. Kagome bit her lower lip in slight apprehension. The White Goddess interpreted Kagome's nervousness and turned back to Ai.

"Hope. You may call me Hope."

Ai smiled wide and pointed to her missing tooth. "I lost a tooth!"

Inuyasha stifled a giggle. Kagome motioned for Shippou to come forward, noticing that he was being shy. Ai squealed in delight and hugged him with as much fervor as she did in tackling Inuyasha. Shippou blushed madly and struggled to get away.

Lady Death stood up and surveyed the village. It was like her childhood home. People bustling thru the homes, the smells of food cooking, children playing in the roadway. She smiled, as the memories remained strong despite her harsh life as an adult.

"Ai, where are the others? Where do you live now?" Kagome inquired. She was eager to find the village elder and learn of any Jewel shard rumors, but more so to get to the hot spring and get clean.

"Over there. At the end house. We all live there now, Shion, Moegi, Roku, Dai, Asagi, and me, with the elder. She liked us so much when we came here that she looks after all of us now!"

Ai grabbed Shippou's hand and dragged him down to the end house, with the others following. The Goddess of Death hung back with Inuyasha. This was another part of him she was curious about.

"Horai Island? Four War Gods? Clearly, Poppet, you have had some excitement other than hunting Jewel shards. So, you have defeated gods? Do share."

She felt triumphant at having discovered something else about him, and she also knew that, as per their agreement, there would be no secrets between them. There was no way out of this past adventure for him, not even if he tried.

_Oh boy_, Inuyasha thought. _Well, it happened in the past, so I won't have to explain a lot._

"Horai Island was an island that was home to families of demons, humans, and their hanyou kids. For a while everyone lived in harmony, until a few families started to come here to the mainland." He sounded regretful.

"Was that a bad endeavor?" She inquired.

"Not really, except for the fact that there were people, human and demon alike, that not only looked down at the parents, but were even worse with the kids." His own memories as how his mother and himself were treated flashed in his mind.

"Just like me, they found that they didn't really fit in anywhere, and when they tried, they were either shunned or persecuted. So the priestess of the island, Lady Kanade, sealed the entire island and its inhabitants away from the mainland with an invisibility spell. Every few decades, however, the spell would weaken, and the island would reappear. When that happened, demons in hoards would come on a blood-lust killing spree. The Four Gods were among the hoard, killing everyone—men, women, and children—demon, human, or hanyou, no one was spared. Lady Kanade was able to seal their power spheres away, but not their bodies, entirely. The act ended at the cost of her life."

As they walked on, his voice trailed off with the ghostly image of the one-time meeting with Lady Kanade in his mind. His gaze unfocused as they neared the end house where the village elder resided, wondering about the one person who was with him when he met the fated children, the cursed island, and the Four War Gods… ironically enough, fifty years ago.

Kikyou, the Keeper of the Shikon Jewel, before the evil of Naraku came.

The Goddess of Death noticed the slight shift in his voice, but more so the change in his aura. The grey of sadness had returned.

"You think of Kikyou, aye?" the Goddess asked. He merely nodded as they walked. She pondered on whether or not to tell him of her meeting the tragic priestess, let alone that she would be the one to end Kikyou's half-life when Naraku was finally destroyed. She decided to not put any more energy into it when the time was not at hand.

"These children are all that remain of the island, why is that? As for the Four War Gods, they sound like an excellent challenge."

Her steel eyes glinted at the possibility of a good rouse.

"They were nothing." Inuyasha smirked. _Although, the most difficult one I faced was Ryura. Damn! He almost succeeded in defeating me, had it not been for my stubbornness… and Kagome's determination by my side… _

He smiled as the memory replayed itself: he had struck again and again with the Wind Scar, and each time Ryura was able to smack it away like a pesky fly. Ryura had an advantage in having two swords, the Wind Blade and the Thunder Blade. The Wind Blade's power was the drawing of a sphere of energy around its host—the Earth Dragon Gale. Not even the Red Tetsusaiga could break it. When the Wind Blade was stuck into the ground, Ryura was able to call upon the Thunder Blade's power—Dragon Lightning. The two swords used in combination were more devastating than anything Inuyasha had encountered, save for Sou'unga's powerful Dragon Twister.

Towards the end of the final battle, the Gods had regained their power spheres and combined themselves into one being, with Ryura being the most powerful. Inuyasha was finally able to conquer Ryura's powers only with Kagome's help. He had seen that the Adamant Barrage of Tetsusaiga was enough to stagger Ryura back, but not enough to kill him. Kagome's purifying arrows did make a bit of a scratch. They tried something that had never occurred to either of them before—combining their powers into one ultimate attack. Kagome had fired off an arrow, then he unleashed something he had never tried before: an Adamant Backlash Barrage.

The energy seemed to move in slow motion as a spiral of jaggedness before he continued the release. It was similar to the Backlash Wave, merging with the energy of Kagome's arrow and struck home, hitting the combined Gods squarely in the chest, not only purifying them, but ripping them apart with shards of adamant and exploding them into nothingness.

The vision faded with him displaying a somewhat arrogant smile. He turned to his Sensei and explained.

"Yeah, they are the last living reminders of an island that is no more. As for the Four War Gods, you probably would have had fun taking them on, if they were still alive."

"Folly for me." The Goddess of Death tilted her head slightly. "But the children are the only survivors, what happened to the rest of them? The parents?"

"The island's power source was the Cauldron of Resonance. Lady Kanade used its power to seal off the island. The Four War Gods got it into their heads to start throwing inhabitants here and there into the Cauldron to regain their powers. First they tried the demons. That didn't work. Then they tried the humans. That didn't work, either. But when they turned to the hanyou offspring, they found that they could recover some of their lost power, if only just a bit. They decide to mark the offspring for the rest of their lives on the island as their captives, never to be free to leave, and to serve no other purpose than to be their sacrifices."

Inuyasha shook at the memory of how horrible it must have been for them, to know that they would have to willingly throw themselves into the Cauldron to keep the others safe from harm, and to keep the Gods at bay a little while longer.

"So, why the hanyou children? How where they marked?" She was as curious as a cat could ever hope to be.

"As it was told to me by Lady Kanade, normally, the power of a demon is too strong while the power of a human is too weak. But when this energy is merged, as in the case of a hybrid kid, it is combined equally. The Gods marked the kids with four deep slashes across their backs, like some kind of binding spell that prevented them from leaving the island. Ai was the only one who was able to escape, probably because she 'was too young' at the time to be even consider fuel for the Cauldron. Those bastards made the mistake in marking me as well, when Kikyou and I first discovered Horai Island over fifty years ago."

Lady Death noticed his back unconsciously twitched in where the scars must have been.

They had reached the end house at last where the others waited inside, catching up with the other kids on their lives since being rescued and coming to the mainland. But it was singing that they heard, not conversation or laughter. Lady Death and Inuyasha both looked at each other as the words became clear.

_"**Father once told me, 'the hand of the demon defends'.**_

**_Mother once told me, 'the hand of the mortal nurtures'._**

**_Put both hands together and open the gate,_**

**_Thou shalt go back into the crimson flames,_**

**_Become the light and protect the children."_**

Inuyasha added as they stepped into the house. "That is what they were singing when I returned with Ai and the others to rescue them from their fate."

As they stepped inside, there was their group, an old woman who must be the elder, and the rest of the kids sitting in a circle, playing musical instruments and singing while in the center. Everyone stopped what he or she was doing as all eyes focused on the pair entrancing. The elder was the first to speak.

"The Megami Shi Fujin! No, you can't come for me—I am… the children are not ready…"

The Goddess of Death raised her hand. "Stay yourself, my lady. I have not come for you. Not yet."

She glanced at her group while removing Apocalypse and resting it at the entrance, Inuyasha following suit. They both took up the only spaces left near the doorway, already accustomed in doing such. A protector's nature never changes.

"That was a most… sad song. Pray tell, children, what was that?" She asked.

The tallest, most likely the oldest also, replied. "It's called the Song of Parting. It's what we used to sing before one of us was to go to the Cauldron. It reminded us of our parents, and that how we'd never truly leave the others or be alone when we died. Our parents turned into fireflies that watched over us after they had died."

This one had teal-colored hair. Lady Death noticed the others had odd coloring as well, save for one, who almost looked like a younger version of herself at perhaps ten years old. She had blonde hair. There were three boys and three girls. They stood up and introduced themselves.

"My name is Asagi. I'm the oldest." The girl with teal hair said, reaching her hand out. Lady Death held her hand with her own as images of what had been Asagi's tortured life displayed in her mind. They were all fading now, but the strong feeling of despair still lingered.

Asagi broke contact and introduced the others. "This is Moegi, she's the most human-looking; this is Shion, he has a gentle nature; those two are twins, Roku and Dai; and of course, Ai you know."

Shion had purple hair and indeed, quiet eyes displaying his nature. Roku had green hair atop of orange, while his twin Dai's was opposite. _That will not be hard to remember_, the Goddess of Death thought.

"And you, my lady, what are you called?" She focused on the elder, a short round woman perhaps in her sixties, maybe the same age as Kaede, with long silver hair tied into a bun at the back of her head.

"I… my name's…" she stammered, not quite assured that Lady Death wasn't there for her soul. The Goddess' face displayed only calmness, quietly urging her to continue.

"Nanoka. That is my name, but the children call me Nashi." A small smile displaying not much teeth left was shown as the woman finally relaxed in the presence of Death's Avatar.

The groups shared a giggle. Inuyasha muttered, "It fits." The White Goddess glanced sideways at them, curious as ever.

"Nanoka means 'seventh day", as she had just told us prior to your arrival that she was born on the seventh day of the first week of the month." Miroku explained.

"Her name's Nashi," Ai squeaked. "She reminds me of a pear!"

More laughter ensued. Lady Death did notice then, indeed, the woman was shaped like a pear.

The old woman waved her hand about. "Nanoka… Nashi… it doesn't matter to me. Call me what you wish."

"Lady Nanoka, we have come from the neighboring village not very far from here. As I'm sure the children have told you, we are the ones who rescued them from Horai Island and the clutches of the Four War Gods." Miroku explained.

"Ahh… so your lot were the ones, then. I thought it was just Ai and her fantastic imagination at first until all of them seemed to share the same tale." The elder stated.

"We are curious of a couple of things, my lady. First, may we use the hot springs near this village? Secondly, have you had encounters with any "out of the ordinary" people, or beings, lately?" Sango asked.

"Out of the ordinary, eh? Like how so?" Nanoka replied.

Sango began listing off some things. "Crops being destroyed for no reason in the night, missing people, animals acting strangely, or appearing around certain times at night or during the month…"

That struck a familiar cord with the elder. "We have had a run in with a small band of animals that have been destroying our crops lately, and a few children have gone missing, now that you mention that."

Roku interjected. "I was at the spring one night and a small pack of wolves chased me out. They were big for wolves, and had really huge red eyes. I never ran so fast before than I did that night."

"Ookami youkai, to be sure, would go after kids. The only other types of animals I know of that would destroy crops would be either boar or oxen." Sango confirmed.

"The wolves couldn't be from Kouga's clan, could they?" Kagome looked around to her friends, hoping to be denied her thought.

"Naw, we're still too far south to be near that flea-bag's territory." Inuyasha huffed. Lady Death sensed obvious hostility towards the said name of said wolf.

"You are not on good terms with this Kouga, nay?" she leaned into his ear, not knowing if it was a sensitive subject or not with him.

"I could care less about that Bag of Bones, and he never misses the chance to hit on Kagome, claiming her to be _'his woman'_…" his fur on his ears bristled and they lay low to his head, indicating his annoyance.

"Inuyasha, Kouga's just being nice when he says those things to me, you know that. He also knows that there is someone else in my life because I've told him such." Kagome reminded him.

_PTAH!_ "Whatever…" He snorted and turned his back to her, arms in his sleeves of the Fire Rat robe.

"Jealous, are we?" Lady Death inquired. He whipped his head around to glare at her warningly, only to remember that such a look would get him into trouble. Not only an issuing 'sit' from Kagome, but most likely a public admonition from his Sensei as well. The smirk on Lady Death's face told him that she meant no malice in saying such, and he turned back around, sulking.

Nanoka continued remembering about the possible youkai bothering the village. She had noticed that the attacks on the crops and people mysteriously disappearing seemed to coincide with the full moon. Lady Death found this intriguing, having prior knowledge about wolves and their behavior during full moon nights, gave a suggestion.

"If these animals are the ones that come here, and if indeed they are affected by the power of the full moon, then we have some time to stay. The full moon is in thirteen days, and that is more than enough time for us to prepare for said adventure."

She looked over at Inuyasha while projecting the thought of training him now into her thoughts towards him. His eyes grew bigger and his pupils dilated a bit when he picked up on her meaning. He grinned madly, eagerly awaiting her next thought.

Nanoka gave them permission to use the hot spring, stating that it "wasn't hers to give anyways". The group thanked her and the kids for the hospitality and set off towards the spring with a good clip in their steps. The dried Ramen stickiness on them and their clothing was starting to get a bit… smelly.

Inuyasha didn't really care about a bath at that point; just the image of being able to rouse with a wolf and think it to be Kouga was enough to get him stirred up.

"Too bad those wolves aren't from Kouga's clan. I'd just love to see the look on his face when I…"

"SIT BOY!!!" Kagome yelled.

_BAM!_ He hit the ground face first. Lady Death's eyebrows both rose up at the sight of this. He was rendered immobile for a bit, muttering a few profane things before he was able to regain standing.

"What the hell was that for, wench?" He said, dusting himself off.

"SIT!" She stamped her foot and he hit the ground again. Lady Death shut her eyes in what could only have been described as being empathetic.

Inuyasha growled while glaring up at Kagome. She bent over to stare at him in the eyes while the spell was still in effect.

"You may as well stay down there if you're going to be a jealous puppy again! The first one was for your rude comment about 'how you wish it was Kouga', and THAT one was for calling me wench!"

She stormed off faster down the path towards the spring with Shippou and Sango trying to keep up. Miroku gave a shrug at Lady Death, tilting his head to the side. His indication of such to her was that this was a normal occurrence, and hurried after the others.

Lady Death stayed behind while the Subjugation spell wore off. Inuyasha sat up and huffed, glancing up at his Sensei. He wished she hadn't seen that—it was embarrassing.

She stood with her arms folded, eyeing him in thought. He hadn't made an attempt to stand as he watched the others disappear down the path. He puffed a stray lock of hair out of his face in frustration. He had the chance to ask her something now.

"Do I get to start off with my sword skills first?" His excitement level rose in hopes of learning some new moves.

The Goddess of Death didn't wish to disappoint him, but he would have to unlearn everything he knew of swordplay and retrain his body as well as his mind in order to become one with Tetsusaiga. She held out her hand to help him up, a faint look of uneasiness in her eyes.

"Unfortunately, no. In order for you to acquire any new skills, you must first unlearn everything, break all of the habits that you have, and strip your mind and body down to the very core, where everything begins to imprint. Only after you have nothing left will you be able to obtain everything, and truly become one with your sword."

His ears sagged a bit as he felt his disappointment. It felt to him like something had grabbed his center and squeezed. He stared dejectedly at his Sensei, waiting for the other 'bad news'.

"What is my first lesson, then?" He finally swallowed the growing lump of doubt.

"The necklace around you… they have a power over you, aye?" She gave him a sideways look.

"What does that have—" he started to ask, baffled.

"Aye or nay will do, Poppet." She interjected. Inuyasha stared at her with slight shock, unable to tell if she was seriously teaching now, or serious as if he'd just angered her.

"Hai, Sensei. The necklace does. It has a power over me."

He waited for her reply, but when none came, he figured that she waited for more explanation.

"They are called Beads of Subjugation. Kaede placed then around my neck shortly after Kagome freed me from Kikyou's sealing spell on the Tree of Ages. All Kagome has to do is utter a certain word and… well, you saw the result."

He didn't dare speak the dreaded word for fear that it might have the power to be self-inflicted. He could see that she was thinking about this simple power, but as to her response on it, he was caught off guard.

"Why were they placed around your neck?" Her face calm and unrelenting.

"So Kagome can torture me, it seems." He rolled his eyes at the memory of the many times she sat him.

"Do you truly believe that, Poppet?" There was a method to her madness in the questions.

"What do you mean—that I deserved to be sat???" His brow furrowed as he stood up, not using her offered hand, and brushed himself off again. She did not answer him, which caused him to think about what was said.

"Do I truly believe that this thing was put upon me to be a torture device and that I deserve it… hmmm." He scratched his ear, a sign she came to recognize that he was thinking.

She grinned as his aura changed colors rapidly from the blood red of slight anger to the true red of his own calmness. A light went on in his head as he had a revelation.

"She doesn't sit me if I don't _deserve_ it. If I mouth off, or am rude, or _whatever_, I get sat. I guess I have been, and still am a little uncontrollable. Huh… imagine that." He rubbed his chin and looked her way to confirm his thought.

"Very good. For every action, there is an equal and opposite _RE-action_. Remember this. If one does not like to have their face in the dirt, said one would make every opportunity to not have said action occur, nay?"

"That makes sense. I just want to be rid of this accursed thing, it makes me feel like I _am_ a dog." He tugged at it, wrinkling his nose and hoping it would snap apart.

"It is likened to a curse. It will only have power over you if you give it power. Meaning that, if its purpose is to still your tongue with your face in the dirt, then I would take care of _thinking_ before I speak. Eventually, the power will no longer be effective; Kagome will take note of this, and just may remove it from you. I was cursed to never walk upon the Earth again, yet here I am."

She started down the path towards the spring. Inuyasha's mind was reeling with what he had just learned. There was no denying in anything that his Sensei had said—he had smelled her truth in it. This was not bad to experience, and if her teachings were going to be as such, he decided he could live with it.

Already, unbeknownst to him, his mind and body were being stripped down. The training had begun.


	12. Training, part 1: Of Body and Mind

Yes, I'm back with another chapter for all my eager minions! (grins) This one is a bit bigger than the last, with lots more explanations, a bit of action, and a slight hint of lust thrown in for good measure. "When is Lady Death going to meet Sesshoumaru?", I can hear some of you say... Soon, but not just yet. Maybe in Chapter 13, or even 14. Haven't gotten that far, and I need more Pocky(tm) for my Muses to be in the right frame of mind for me to write him in! But I'm getting to that point in my head. It's just a matter of time.

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**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death. Inuyasha is owned by his respected creator, Rumiko Takahashi, and her people; as Lady Death is owned by Avatar Comics and created by Brian Pulido. This story, however, is owned by me. I am not receiving payment of any monetary form from anyone. My payment is your reviews, which I gladly devour. The more I get, the faster I'm inspired, and the faster I write and post. As always, you might notice some discrepancies in Lady Death's story, though I have kept it "true to the original" as I can. Some things were changed to bring this into being. ENJOY!**

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**Chapter 12**

**Training: part 1**

**Of Body and Mind**

When the pair had reached the hot spring, the others were already enjoying it. Kagome and Sango on one side with Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou on the other, and a crag of rocks as a natural partition between them.

Inuyasha normally would have been the first one in, at least into the general area, to check things out first. But since he was a dried mess of sweat, Ramen, and dirt, his mind was torn between stripping down completely, or just going in with clothes on. The clothing needed to be washed anyways—it had not seen soap in Kami knew how long.

Kagome had brought along her "strange yellow bag" that contained the essential cleaning supplies, which she was sharing with Sango, the two of them taking turns using the scented shampoo and conditioner. The items were floral scented—jasmine? Lady Death was pretty certain, but there was another underlying scent that was barely discernable amongst the other smells within the bag.

Earthy, and a bit musky.

She glanced at her charge, thinking to herself that he—being half dog demon, surely smelled it as well—only to find him staring back in an embarrassed fashion, halfway removing his robe. She blinked at him and cocked her head slightly, as if to silently signal to him the strange smell.

"Umm…" he stammered. "Could you turn around while I disrobe?" He blushed madly, which brought a giggle from Miroku, and a roll of Shippou's eyes.

"Inuyasha, what's your problem? It's not like we haven't seen your naked chest before…" piped Shippou.

"Shut up, brat! I know you haven't, but she hasn't!" He scowled while pointing to his Sensei. Lady Death lowered a brow and gave him her sideways glare. Despite his outwardly gruff demeanor, he was inwardly a shy and sweet, and dare she say—scared—boy.

"Poppet, you do not possess anything that I have not seen before." She let her words slowly drift out and settle.

"_WHA???"_ said the pair of girls in unison. Not missing a beat, the White Goddess slowly quirked a grin while staring at her charge. He was now matching the color of his robe, and was promptly looking for a hole in the ground to crawl into. She turned to the girls and explained.

"I have been with men in… intimate situations before."

No details were necessary, as she knew that at least two of the group would understand the implication: Kagome, and of course, Miroku. Maybe Sango, who had offered up an "Oh my", then blushed furiously at the sudden realization that she mistakenly gave a verbal notion of the entertaining visuals in her head.

"Sango?" Kagome lowered her voice, hoping that the boys didn't hear. Hoping, at least that Miroku wouldn't, Inuyasha and Shippou's hearing was acute no matter what. That, she thought, was _shikata ga nai_. It could not be helped.

Canines and their hearing…

Lady Death knew, what was going thru the demon slayer's mind. She turned a knowing smile at Sango, and Inuyasha took the chance to strip quickly and step in. He eased in with a long sigh as the slightly hot water worked its magic. Miroku was reclining against a smoothed placed in the rock, gazing off into the mist floating off of the water. Shippou had learned to float on his back recently, and was using this to his advantage.

Satisfied that the area and its energies were peaceful, Lady Death removed her sword, resting it beside Inuyasha's, and reclined against the tree along with the others' weapons. She absently propped her arm on to Kagome's backpack. It felt strange to her, the fabric brushing against her skin as well as looked strange, but it contained such items that must be magical from Kagome's time.

Like the white box with a red "X" on it. At least it looked like an X… or was it actually a cross? Whatever the symbol, it was a visual reminder that medicines were inside.

That wasn't the only item in the "strange yellow bag". Several articles of clothing, a spare bag (made of 'plastic') for soiled clothing, two containers of a material Kagome called 'plastic' that were labeled _shampoo_ and _conditioner_ (these were used to clean the hair, which she and Sango now partook of). At least those had a pleasing smell to them.

There were also "personal items" that Kagome would go into detail about other than she "would need them in a few days"; two brushes, one for the hair and… one for the teeth? _How odd… _

And paste that smelled like sweet Dragon's Blood for cleaning the teeth? _I must sample this some day… What else? _She dug a bit deeper and found the candy bites Kagome had stashed for Shippou.

_Chocolate Nuggets? It smells like… ambrosia? How wondrous! _The White Goddess pulled out the bag of candy and inhaled the aroma. It brought back memories again of her childhood in the castle. One of the cooks would give her small portions of the item called ambrosia that came from the New World around the time of Yule. _The traders brought back such wondrous things… _

But the most intriguing thing in Kagome's magical bag was a book. A book labeled "history". _History? Interesting. I wonder…_

"Mistress Kagome, might I read this, _historic_ book of yours?" she inquired.

"Huh? My historic book? You mean the one that says history?" Kagome had turned around from her hair washing to see the Goddess had become like a curious cat with her backpack.

Lady Death nodded, casting her gaze into the bag and then to Kagome. Kagome fidgeted a bit, wondering just what consequences a person from a past time would obtain from reading a book that not only contained events pertaining to the Goddess' time, but of things that had yet to happen in "their future"?

What paradoxes would occur? Should she, Kagome, as a friend tell her, this person from unknown pasts?

Or should she, as the Goddess of Death, know those things that were yet to come, in order to be prepared, should she decide to stay in this time?

Whose time would be altered, or would it be altered at all?

Kagome breathed deep. "Yeah, sure… but there are some things you may find hard to believe in there."

The Goddess of Death cast her a questioning look. Tilting her chin, she asked, "How so?"

"Well… uhh… there are some things from… uhh, the future in there. My _present_, but _your_ future. I'm not too certain whether or not you should know about that, whether or not any paradoxes would happen."

Kagome trailed off. She dipped below the water's edge to rinse the conditioner out. She called over to Inuyasha for him to throw over his clothes so she could wash them, only to have him yell back,

"Whattaya nuts? I'm buck-naked right now, wench! I wouldn't even get out for Naraku!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm not asking you to get out, just throw them over the rocks to me! Who cares if they hit the water? They need to be wet in order to get clean!"

A flying mass of red followed by items of black, purple, and a smaller set of hakama and haori flew over the rocks, landing in the water. He had thrown everyone's clothes over the crag.

"Hey! All of _these_ need to be cleaned? I'll be here forever now, and I'll look like a prune…" she whined.

"_PTAH!_ Quit griping, will ya? They need to be cleaned right? Might as well do them all." He reasoned with his side of the crag.

"I swear to Kami, if I didn't have such a good nature, or chocolate right now, I'd sit you halfway to China…"

_Oops… sorry—oh, no…_

_SPLASH!_ "HEY! What the hell? What gives? What are you being a snippy bitch for?"

"Snippy bitch?!?! SIT!"

_SPLASH!_ "You're the one who's being snippy, Inuyasha! What's gotten into you?"

Lady Death had in the meantime drawn out the history book and began to turn its pages, eager to devour the knowledge. She shook her head slightly at the verbal combat.

_He is being rude to her again, and she is delivering justice._

A few moments passed in silence. Inuyasha said just barely above the level of audible voice, "You smell different…"

"What?" Kagome wasn't sure if she heard it correctly.

"Poppet states that you smell different, mistress." Lady Death said, not looking up from the book. She didn't have to, to know the effect of what was said was having on Kagome. Kagome clapped her hand over her mouth to hide her gaping shock, eyes wide at Lady Death.

The Goddess glanced up, and quietly started to hum a tune. Placing her finger to her lips in the sign for silence, she took her left hand and drew an invisible barrier between the boys and girls in an arc away from her. Then she looked at the two girls.

"They will not be able to hear what we shall discuss now. The only thing that they will hear is the sound of my humming. Mistress Kagome, your Moon flow is fast approaching, aye?" she asked.

"My moon flow? Nani?"

"I think Nozomi is asking when was your last female time, Kagome." Sango clarified.

"My female ti—oh crap! _That's_ why I'm snippy! _That's_ why he's being a jerk! Arrrgh!" Kagome smacked her forehead. Then she gazed at Lady Death with astonishment. "You can smell it, too?"

"Nay, smell it strongly, I cannot. My sense of smell is not like that of Poppet's who is, for all intents, half-dog. But the change in the color of your aura I do see to know what it is. You are coming into your heat cycle. Every female animal does, and human females are no different. Females, on the whole, exhibit the same color when such events occur. That color being the color of mating—bright red. Your color, how'er, is that of bright pink. Over the past days, it has gotten brighter, and glows." she explained.

"Uhh… and should I be worried? What about you, does the same thing happen to you?" Kagome blushed.

"Nay, it does not, for I have no need to reproduce. If I find a male suitable and worthy of becoming my mate, events may change. For the present, it is not needed." Lady Death withdrew the arc shielding their talk, and resumed reading the book.

Kagome and Sango looked at each other's faces with matching displays. Both of them had forgotten that Inuyasha's sense of smell was very acute, so it was only natural for him to be reacting the way that he was. They both silently thanked Kami that neither of them had to worry about Shippou just yet. He was still too young.

Lady Death resumed answering Kagome's question about reading the history book. "As to your warning of a paradox, I heed it mistress. How'er, I did not obtain the title Queen of Hell nor am I the Goddess of Death for mere trifles. I shall take my chances with this knowledge as well, if they come true as foretold."

"IF they come true? You speak as if you have been… no, you couldn't have." Kagome shook her head, not wanting to believe in her thought.

"As if I have been there before, and know what will happen?" Lady Death offered.

Both girls stared, eyes wide. Miroku was now alert from his gaze, and sat up to listen in. Inuyasha and Shippou as well noticed something had been said that was of importance and glided thru the water to the edge nearest the Goddess.

"But you couldn't… have… wait… a… minute…" Kagome's mind was reeling with the possibilities.

"You forget of my telling about the Nexus of All Things? How it is a gateway of all possibilities?" the Goddess asked. Kagome nodded.

"I have thought about that very same thought that now dances in your mind as well, mistress, and there cannot be another more logical explanation. The Nexus is a strange object, floating right above Hell's skies, and to ponder just what it is, let alone how it works, would be to go insane. Yet, if one ventures thru any of the portals, not only will they be transported thru to a _where_, but also a _when_. Likened to you stepping to the side of what you know to be your 'real world', and into another dimension of it. Or, of another time."

Miroku was aghast. "Great Buddha! Is such a thing truly possible?"

Lady Death affirmed. "I can assure, it is. When I first came thru the other side, into _here_, I did not know what had transpired. I remember more now, the more time I have in clear thought. In 'my time', after I hurled Lucifer thru Heaven's Gate, and went on my journeys that led me away from Hell to Asgard, my sisters, my future as to who I am and my destiny, I returned to Hell, only to find it 'coming undone'. Hell was a thing that Lucifer made in his image, and without Lucifer, it would not sustain."

"So then, what had happened in your time?" Sango asked.

"To make this tale as short as possible: everything that I knew as 'my home world' was no more; I battled more enemies that claimed my leaving the throne open was the cause of Hell undoing itself, one of which was able to turn me into the mortal woman I once was as punishment. The Assassins of Heaven came for my head then. I fought them off fiercely and won, but it cost me my humanity yet again when the Archangel Michael came to Hell with an offer he thought I could not refuse: The Scythe of Death. The same scythe that is the mantle as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."

She let that sink in, knowing that Kagome and Miroku both would know of what she spoke. Kagome rubbed her cheek like she had been in shock and someone slapped her awake.

"Archangel Michael? Scythe of Death? Wait—THE Four Horsemen?"

The White Goddess nodded. "None other than. But I am no puppet to be mastered, and forfeited my hold on the scythe and riding with them."

She glared fiercely at the now captive audience, her hand drawing out a final line in the air.

"I bow to no one, let alone to their rules. I had seen that I could return here to Earth and touch the ground, but for me to be a Rider, I could not. So a battle with them ensued as well. I survived and conquered. I was home on Earth and finally had obtained the peace I so deserved, or so I thought. Lucifer had returned somehow, and had laid claim to Earth, making it into Hell again. Literally, Hell on Earth.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at the visual. The only Hell he could, or had, a picture of was what was shared in their minds eye when the subject of Sou'unga came up.

The White Goddess continued. "So before the melee' with him began again, I felt the tainted presence of someone from my past many leagues away, and sought out his death. None other than the very priest from my village who sentenced me to burn at the stake. Little did I know that he was responsible for the safety of the Seventh Seal. A talisman containing both trumpeters of Heaven and of Hell. When it broke, it would signal the Judgment War."

"Oh crap! You mean a _world_ battle? All over?" Inuyasha asked.

"More than a world battle, Poppet. Picture if you will, a battle between the forces of purity and the forces of corruption—likened to what Lady Kaede has told me of the Shikon no Tama—with the outcome being uncertain that there would be survivors left…."

"Those aren't very promising odds. What did you do?" from Sango.

Lady Death looked at her with the most chilling look on her face—like ice flowed in her blood.

"I was approached by both sides to fight for one or the either. I refused. They wished me on their respective sides on _their_ terms, and as I stated, I am no puppet. Judgment War they feared? I showed them what 'judgment' was, as well as 'war'."

She smiled that 'run in fear' smile. To see this smile form on her face was to know that your end was near.

But then, she softened a bit.

"Death Himself had come to me, and had already claimed me as his Avatar. My responsibility was, and _is_, to collect the souls of the departed to be sown in the Fields of Mystery by him. But that was the least of my worries, besides conquering both forces of Heaven and Hell. A far more ancient power had been released from its prison on the far reaches of the known universe…"

There was an uneasy pause, and she straightened as the vivid memory came into view.

"Armageddon. The Father of Fear, and the Embodiment of Complete Undoing."

"Undoing? As in the world undoing?" asked Miroku.

"Aye. The world in which I knew is no more. In its place is another, but it is not the only one. Armageddon was a Chaos Lord of pure entropy—anti matter—the same matter that gives my sword Apocalypse its life. Ironically, Apocalypse was one of various things that destroyed him in the end, but not before he had managed to ravage the world to its undoing. The last thing I recall was a brilliant flash of white, and I found myself in Hell once again, at the height of my reign, like nothing had changed."

Her eyes narrowed as she glanced sideways, off into nothingness.

"But something within my very essence told me that _this_ was not the Hell _I_ had known. This was not the Hell that had unraveled. Some things stayed the same, while others had changed."

"You didn't have this sword while in Hell before, did you?" Inuyasha motioned to Apocalypse. His mind displayed her memories as if he was there himself. Was that due to her teachings?

"Nay, this is my third sword. My first was named Darkness, which was shattered in the battle of Asgard. Pieces of it were recovered and it was reforged into another one, named Nightmare. That sword had spells so arcane placed upon it as to have it demand blood. It fed off not only the victims, but of my own life-force as well. It became an addiction to me. I managed to rid myself of it successfully, and it is now in the possession of 'someone more suiting'. Apocalypse was forged during the Judgment War, and with it, I finally cleaved out the black heart of Lucifer for good."

She picked up Apocalypse, withdrawing it from the scabbard, and gazed at it fondly, the sunlight gliding off its blade like liquid fire.

"This sword, in the wrong hands, can bring about complete destruction of all known life. To wield it, is to carry a great responsibility."

"No wonder you want to obtain Sou'unga…" Inuyasha whispered. It made perfect sense now to him, not only because it was the Sword of Hell, but because she could be the only one since his father to wield it with no repercussions to her, as she had the blood and mantle of Hell in her as well.

She may not be a great demon like his father, but she had demonic blood. She had demon blood—youkai blood, but in a different form. That and she understood what the great burden would be of possessing such a blade. Sou'unga demanded respect, much like Apocalypse did, and would take no prisoners if it were not met.

"So, my tale ends here with answering your questions of how I know what will happen in 'the future'?"

Her captive audience all nodded.

"I do not know for certain how _this_ one world will end, only that I know it will, and that it has happened before. Hence why, I am not afraid of reading a book containing history that has not been written yet from my 'timeline'. Time is a linear concept. I am the Avatar of He Who Reaps. I transcend _all_ times, in _all_ places. It _will be_, and _is_, my responsibility to collect the souls of this world as well, and to maintain the balance."

She looked directly at Inuyasha when she spoke. His breath hitched slightly, and she knew he understood who it was she had spoke to in the forest after they had come back from their 'lesson' at the stream. The shared image of Kikyou was in their minds. Inuyasha shook his head, forcing his eyes shut.

He didn't want to believe it. _His_ Kikyou would never die in his eyes. Not at the hands of another, not if he could help it. But he could not deny that she was truthful in what she had told. Lady Death was truly an immortal, with immense powers that had an even more immense burden to carry. That being ending the lives of people she possibly cared for as well.

"Do you miss your home, Nozomi?" Shippou asked.

"Aye, very much so. But it no longer exits, and I have learned to accept 'home' in other places, if only a temporary means." She nodded slightly at the young kitsune.

"But," she started after a pause, "that is neither here nor there. We have a lot to discuss, and a lot to prepare for. You, especially Poppet, must begin your undoing now."

"My what? Undoing?" His eye went wide, the term 'undoing' she had used to describe her sword just now…

"You will know in time, and it is not what you think. I am your Sensei, not your Executioner." She clarified.

"If you are finished with your bathing, there are fish to be caught, water to be gathered, and trees that will need to be cut for firewood. We are staying here for at least two weeks, and must pull our weight to as not be a burden on our host Lady Nanoka. I will show you how to effectively do such, as it is different from what you are used to."

She closed the history book and returned it to Kagome's strange yellow bag. Kagome had started scrubbing the boys' clothing while listening to her tale, but dreaded that it would not dry quickly enough for them to wear.

"We might have to get a fire going sooner than expected, or these clothes will never be dry to wear before nightfall." she stated.

She set Shippou's clothes on top of the small pile near the edge after wringing them free of water. She straightened up, and grabbed a towel to dry off and come out. No sooner had she turned around to offer Sango a towel as well, that an astonished gasp escaped the demon slayer's mouth. Kagome started as well, looking into the wide eyes of Sango quickly, noticing they were focused on something behind them. Kagome whipped her head back around to find the pile of clothes levitating in midair and… glowing?

The White Goddess was directing a small thread of energy in, on, and around the pile of clothes. It smoked, or did it steam? It was hard to tell, but it was entrancing to watch. The pile came undone, one by one, as if each article was attached to an invisible body, flattened out, and laid back down onto the grass, a bit away from the edge of the water.

"Oh wow…" Kagome exclaimed.

"H-how… how are you able to do that?" Inuyasha's expression had a furrowed brow and wide eyes.

"I am capable of many things, Poppet. Levitation is but a small thing that I can do. It is really no effort when one understands simple energy conduct and transference." Smiling once again, her trademark grin.

"Energy conduct? Transference?" Miroku's mind was now a barrage of images. The terms were unfamiliar to him, but the idea wasn't.

The Goddess grinned his way. "Meditation, my lord monk, as you have already experienced, opens your mind as well as your body. Your energy is no different…"

"No different from the other energies around you, just a different manifestation is all." Inuyasha finished for her, a 'see-what-I-know-now' smirk on his face.

"Indeed, Poppet? Then by all means, show us all how easy it is." Lady Death offered him the stage with a wave of her hand. She found a leaf on the forest floor, and picked it up into her palm.

"Levitate this above my hand."

He stared wide-eyed. _What is she talking about? Oh crap—I've been challenged, and can't follow thru!_

He focused his gaze upon the leaf, trying hard to imagine it flying above her palm in midair, but soon found a headache forming in the center of his forehead.

"I… I can't." He gave in. It had only been a few heartbeats, but to him it seemed like longer.

She closed her hand. "That is because you do not possess the knowledge needed to do so. Not yet." She raised her brows for emphasis. He glanced up at her.

"But you will. That will be one of many things that you will learn, depending on how you learn, and how fast you imprint."

She stood up, gathered the dried clothes, and eyed the owners. Shippou was not embarrassed to get out 'as is' to fetch his clothes. He marveled at how they smelled once they were back on his body.

"Mmmmmm—oranges! How did you know? That I liked oranges?" He beamed up at the Goddess.

"Your aura is naturally orange. Now that your clothing is clean, it has been renewed. Likened to a cleaning of a castle of old items and dirt and washing the floors clean. Does it not smell and feel 'new' after?" she asked.

"Yeah… huh. I guess I never thought of it that way." Shippou shook his head free of the water and plopped down under the tree, waiting patiently for Kagome to brush out his hair. An after-bath ritual they shared. He turned around and started fluffing his tail.

Miroku had grabbed his underclothing while still in the water waist deep. He didn't care if it got wet again, so long as it was now clean. He waded out and reapplied the robe, careful to not loosen the rosary around his hand. The Goddess watched him carefully do this with a question in her mind.

_What are those, and for what purpose? There is a destructive energy behind the cloth that covers it, and I can hear the roar of a wind…_

Inuyasha was still in the water, pondering, no doubt, whether to follow as Miroku did, or ask for privacy while he got out and quickly wrapped his clothes on. He wasn't really worried now about his naked chest, as his Sensei had seen it when he came closer to the edge during her tale. But he still carried a nasty scar on his back…

He absently had turned around to show said scar to the world, to which the Goddess noticed right away.

"That is an impressive battle remnant, Poppet. Who left their mark upon you?"

He flinched and grimaced. Kagome gasped—she had forgotten all about that scar as well.

In a low voice, he answered. "My half-brother, Sesshoumaru."

"Sword?" she asked.

"No. His fist." He replied. He hadn't told her about Sesshoumaru much other than him being his older half-brother. It was a touchy subject enough with him.

He turned around and grabbed his haori. _To Hell with it getting wet—at least it's clean and doesn't stink of Ramen now._

He got out and began wrapping the Fire Rat around him, and resecuring his hakama. He noticed that things seemed a bit tense again, and as he turned around he had noticed right.

She was eyeing him again with her lowered gaze. The one that could pull the thoughts from your mind.

"We will speak of this later. Right now, you and I will start on our tasks that need to be done. We will need a few long reeds for fishing poles, a water-catcher, bucket, and an axe."

"Water-catcher? Wha…?" He blinked.

"It's a type of small bucket, Inuyasha. I'll go back to the village for those and the axe." Kagome clarified, now redressed.

"Can I help catch fish too?" Shippou bounced up.

"Of course, you can, and I think me that you will catch the most!" the Goddess smiled.

"I can help Inuyasha chop trees for wood, or gather the water, or…" Miroku offered.

The Goddess thought a moment. _He carries a bow staff of sorts, so he is already used to the maneuvers for fighting with it… hmm._

"Whichever you desire, lord monk. Just be wary of your hand." She inclined her head.

He quizzically looked at her. She said nothing, but gave him the impression that she could see the impending destruction that would one day claim his life.

"You… know?" he asked in a low voice, protectively fumbling the rosary.

"I do not have to know, to know what will happen." Her voice and gaze held a tint of sadness. She turned to Sango, who had now dressed as well.

"Mistress Sango, you as well carry a battle mark. It was your brother who marked your back, nay?"

Sango was stopped dead in resecuring her kimono front. She looked up with a scared expression. The scar must have Kohaku's energy imprint still in it, how else would she know that it was him who did it?

"It is a burden, to know that he betrayed us all, but to also know that he is more a prisoner now under Naraku's control. He is dead, and yet he still lives on. He also carries a jewel shard—in his back. Without it, he will die. It is torture, and I regret that I must be the one to remove the shard when the final battle comes, if he survives, as no one else can." Sango's eyes were as heavy as her heart.

"Remove the shard, or end his life?" Lady Death didn't want to ask, she had to ask. Sango's gaze lowered. She couldn't look the Goddess in the eyes and not see what she knew would happen.

Death.

"There may be another way." The Goddess divulged, but did not clarify.

Inuyasha resecured Tetsusaiga to his side and placed his hands inside the sleeves of the robe. He waited patiently for her next instruction.

Kagome had returned with the items from the village. She went to the spring's edge where some reeds grew and proceeded to try and cut them. They were more durable than she had previously thought, and it was a struggle for her to cut thru.

"Come on! Will. You. CUT!" Frustratingly, she forced the edge of the axe thru a handful. The reeds finally gave way with a snap, causing Kagome to step back a bit.

"You're weak." Inuyasha teased.

"Inuyasha, remember. All I have to do is utter a simple word. You think I'm snippy now…" she warned.

He flinched_. Kami, I might as well just shut up until IT passes. At least I have a way to take my frustration out. I need a righteous sparing now. _

He could feel his blood stirring with a primal need.

"Well, what do I do first?" Eyes hopeful at his Sensei.

The Goddess had picked up one of the reeds. Yanking out a strand of her hair, she wound it around the thicker part of the reed, then split a bit of the top with her sword. She took the length of hair and secured it thru the split to dangle off freely. She had now a makeshift fishing pole.

"You make a fishing pole like this. When you are done, follow me." She waited for him to follow suit.

Inuyasha grabbed a section of his hair from behind his head where it was the longest. He had a bit of a hard time due to the fact that it was a tangled mess from the bath. Kagome stifled a giggle and grabbed her brush from her bag.

"Wait a minute. Here," she said, "it'll be much easier if you get rid of those knots first." Approaching, he flinched a bit.

"I can do it. Gimme that." He held out his hand for the brush, but she wouldn't let him have it.

"Ut uhh. No can do. I'm going to brush out your hair." She smiled and pointed to the ground, hoping he'd get the visual hint and lower himself. Kneel or sit, it didn't matter.

"Hell no! You'll yank it out! You know how sensitive I am about my hair being pulled!" _Please don't come closer—I don't think I can stand it any longer…_

Her scent had diminished from the bath a little, but it was still there. It was driving him crazy, stirring a strange feeling in him, and making the blood rush to his groin. He could feel the beast within becoming awake…

"Poppet, you do not wish her to say _the word_ again, do you? You would be wise to heed her request." Lady Death noted.

He balked, and she could see his aura changing. It had become bright red, and she noticed that his breath was coming in short pants, though it was unnoticed to the others. He was doing his damnest to keep under control. He gazed back at her with a look that conveyed his feelings.

A different course of action was taken then. The Goddess set her pole down and stood with her hand upon the handle of Apocalypse, eyeing her charge.

"We will forgo fishing for the moment. You—follow me. Now."

He shot back a look of astonishment. _N-Nani? Is she angry? What did I do?_

He followed her as instructed. She led him to a clearing not far away from the spring. Turning around, she cast a look similar to that of what his brother does. Cold. Unemotional. Unreadable.

"Draw your sword."

"What? Why—are you angry? What did I do?" He stammered.

"No more questions! Prepare to defend yourself! HIYA!!" She drew Apocalypse and charged him.

He barely had enough time to release Tetsusaiga before she was on him. His sword blazed to life, transforming at the call to protect against demon energies.

_CLANG!_

The two swords met with a barrage of energies. Apocalypse was dwarfed blade-wise against Tetsusaiga, but its energies could not be matched. Inuyasha braced himself against her attack, caught off balance at first. Then he pushed back against her blade, bringing them down in front of their gazes. Tetsusaiga's energies flared to meet that of Apocalypse.

"What are you doing?" He was confused. _What brought this about?_

"What needs to be done, right now." she returned. She pushed forward and her blade responded, its energy rising against the opponent.

The clashing of both energies rose in a scream. Gold lightning from Apocalypse crackled around Tetsusaiga, and Inuyasha's hands shook. He fought back with all his might, until he couldn't stand it anymore. He let go of the sword lock, and staggered back.

"What the Hell???"

She rushed him again, one handed, her free hand raising her energy for a blast. He swung his sword to meet hers, but couldn't block her free hand. She swung at his jaw and he ducked in the nick or time. He backed off again.

They stopped for a few heartbeats. The others had come to watch was had transpired, equally confused, but keeping a safe distance.

"Is that all you have? Is that the length of your abilities? Pathetic!" she mocked him.

He started. Lowering his sword, he stared at her wide-eyed. _What is she talking about?_

Lady Death shot her sword forward towards him. A gold blast ripped from the blade and connected. He was caught off guard and hit hard. Flying thru the air, he landed with a crash on his back, sword still in hand.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed.

Lady Death walked towards him, her gaze on him just like before at Kaede's village, but slightly different.

Sango was confused. She had her hand on hiraikotsu, ready to swing if needed. Miroku stood with hands upon his staff, surveying the scene. When he noticed Kagome starting to make a run to Inuyasha, he stopped her.

"Hold on. I don't think her intent is to hurt him." He stated.

Indeed, it was not. The Goddess approached her charge. Stopping a few feet away, she readied her stance again.

"Get up! Fight!"

Inuyasha sat there, panting with the tip of his sword in the ground. His mind was a whir as he tried to process what was going on. He stood again and readied himself. Unsure of what would happen next, he would do his best to block her at least.

The Goddess motioned with one hand for him to come at her, her sword-arm holding Apocalypse high.

_I get it now. She wants to see about my abilities! Finally! Ok, you asked for it_.

He held Tetsusaiga aloft and charged her. Before their blades connected again, she leaped into the air and somersaulting to land behind him and thrust forward. He barely saw the move to turn in enough time to block it.

"Haha! Good! You caught that at the last moment." She taunted.

Inuyasha turned around with sword blocking hers. She let loose a series of blows so fast that he couldn't keep up.

_CLANG! CRASH! BAM! ZZZZZZRACK!_

She had strength he had not anticipated at all. The blades locked again, and he thought she'd break first. But instead, she whipped the two swords around in a circle, forcing his wrists against each other. He fought back the pain but it was too much.

His grip loosened and Tetsusaiga flew into the air from his hands. Out of the corner of his eye he tried to see where it landed, but the point of her blade was at his throat again.

_Oh shit…_

He raised his arms and stared her in the eyes. She bored into him with her stare and he lowered to his knees.

"I concede."

Her next move he had not seen. He half expected her to smack the top of his head.

"You were unwise to lower your defenses. Hence why, you have been unarmed. You matched my blade in the best manner you could, but your fire diminished. I am disappointed. I now know what you need to strengthen your skills."

She sheathed her sword into its scabbard and offered her hand again. He stared back, confused.

"Rise, and retrieve your sword."

He did as instructed and was thankful that no shared vision happened this time. He trudged over to his sword in a defeated manner. When he had his sword into its scabbard and returned to her side, his look had not changed.

"Do not look so defeated, Poppet. You did what was expected of you. I am not disappointed in that fact. You must be stripped down of what you know now in order to learn anew, remember?" She offered a smile at him.

"Hai." His gaze lowered at her, and his ears flattened a bit against his head. He had been defeated thru simple moves, and it hurt his pride.

They walked to the group and returned to the side of the spring to start their tasks. Inuyasha plopped in front of the tree, looking depressed. Kagome knelt by him and reassured him.

"You did good. I've never seen you fight so fast and quick before. And she was fast!"

_PTAH!_ He huffed, and fidgeted with her being so close. At least his reaction from her smell had subsided now, and his adrenaline had been spent on the sparring.

"I didn't even have the chance to show her the Wind Scar at least. Damnit!" He scowled.

"Oh, forget that right now. Here, can I brush your hair out?" She had the brush back in her hand. He complied by tilting his head to her. She started on the bottom first, working out the knots as she went towards the top. It was relaxing and he was getting used to her being in close proximity. Her scent was calming to him, and his eyes closed halfway.

"I'd bet that if she ever comes across Sesshoumaru, she'd beat him." Kagome offered.

Inuyasha uttered a low growl. "I'd give both canine teeth to see that. To see his ass whipped—by a woman! Ha! What _would_ he do?"

He opened his eyes fully while watching his Sensei show Shippou how to use the fishing pole he had just made. Miroku had already cast his and caught a fish right off. Sango had a bit of a struggle securing her hair to her pole, while Kilala just waded in and used her paws.

When Kagome was satisfied that she had loosened the hair knots, she rose, placing the brush back into her bag and grabbed her pole to start fishing. Inuyasha rose, yanked a long strand of hair and strode over to do as well. The Goddess glanced at him, and noted that he was back to normal.

_Mistress Kagome has quite the effect on him. But does he realize it…_

"Ok, how do I do this?" he asked.

"Start like so: over your head, to the left, then to the right. Then alternate the moves. Use both hands upon the pole at first, then one-handed."

She showed him by casting her line in long strokes above her head, to her left, then to her right, letting the motion follow thru. She didn't leave much time in between casts for any fish to bite, he noticed.

"Aren't we supposed to be catching fish? You're not leaving any time for them to bite."

"If they are hungry, they will bite." She replied. The hot spring itself stayed in the crags of rocks with the thermal heat warming it, but a regular temperate stream containing fish flowed from it. Lady Death went to the side of the stream and dug around into the soft mud at the edge until she found a few worms. She offered him one and secured hers to her hair strand, tying it around the worm. She raised her arms above, and let the line fly. The worm landed with a plop in the water and she waited.

Inuyasha did the same. She watched, but noticed that his cast was a bit short, and he did not put his energy into it.

"Nay not, Poppet. Follow thru with your cast. Put your energy into it." She cast over her head again for him to observe. He noticed there was a slight snap at the end of her cast, and a small glimpse of her energy came forth.

He followed her example perfectly, his own aura shooting a bit out and down the reed.

"Good. Now to the sides." She asked and he complied, watching as his aura and muscles responded to new moves. She was able to count to three before he would cast another way, and noticed his breathing was matching his casts.

_At least I do not have to teach him about breathing,_ she thought.

When his breathing labored a bit, he started using one hand. The casts came quicker and with more ease, but his energy was faltering.

"Try alternating your arms." She noticed one arm was in need of balance. If he could learn to use both arms effectively with the sword, he could keep his opponents off guard.

"How long do I have to do this?" he asked.

"When you have successfully caught three fish per casting, per arm. You should have caught eighteen fish when you are done."

"Eighteen! I'll be here forever doing that!" he whined.

"Only if you think that, then you will." She clarified. He was learning the lesson of patience in conjunction with this first lesson of sword moves. The two would strengthen his mind and body without him knowing it. All was going according to her plans.

"Oh—I got one!" Kagome screamed as she pulled her pole in.

It was a catfish, fairly big, and fairly ugly. But very tasty. Inuyasha scowled. _Lucky shot._

"Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!" Shippou's line was being pulled hard as he ran with it to get better ground and reel in. Sango caught him from having another bath and he reeled in the catch. Another catfish, just as big.

"Huzzah for you, young kit!" the Goddess praised. She looked over to Inuyasha, who was fully frustrated now, and determined to catch _just one_. His aura blazed again in red, and his casts had more follow thru.

"Hya!" He uttered slightly as he cast while small energy waves rippled down the reed length. The Goddess wasn't certain if he saw them or not, but she did. He had reached where and what she wanted him to achieve in moves, but now he had to combine that with patience.

He waited, forcing himself to breath evenly. His aura stretched out thru the line and made contact.

_SNAG!_

"Yes! A-ha!" Inuyasha shouted as he pulled in the line. He scowled at the face of what was the ugliest thing he had seen. _Finally!_

"Nozomi, how much fish should we catch?" Miroku inquired. He had caught five so far.

"Enough to last past the full moon, but if you tire, then rest a bit." She offered a wave of her hand towards the shade of the tree. Miroku came forward towards her and whispered.

"It is not my business, but this is a lesson for him, right?" nodding towards Inuyasha. The Goddess merely grinned sideways, confirming his guess. Miroku nodded his head in return and went to the tree to rest.

Sango and Kilala had caught between them a total of eleven. Kagome and Shippou each had caught three. Inuyasha had yet to catch more than the first. He looked over at the others who were enjoying the cool of the shade, and stopped. The sun was hot as it beat down upon him, as it was now close to the first days of summer.

He grumbled to himself about '_what was the purpose of having a bath when I'm getting sweaty again?_' to himself. He opted for removing his robe and haori, to Hell with exposing his bare chest—he was sweating and needed relief.

He secured another worm and focused again on his casting. _Overhead, wait. To the left, wait. To the right, wait. Switch arms. Start again._

_BAM!_ One more fish caught. Another worm, another cast. _SNAG! WHIP!_ Two more.

Kagome watched him in earnest, wondering as she watched his muscles flexing as he cast again. The sunlight glared on his biceps while thin traces of sweat trickled down his chest, languidly rolling over the muscles on his abdomen. _Oh, my…_

She found herself staring more intently before Sango's giggling broke her out of her staring. She blushed.

The giggling broke Inuyasha's concentration. He glared back briefly, and then continued.

_He is completely focused now. Small distractions do not have him falter_. The Goddess noted.

_SNAG! WHIP! WHAP! _Three more fish, but then…

_SNAP!_ The hair used as a line broke. _Damn!_ _No matter, I'll just use another._

He reached at the top of his head and yanked out another hair. He looked as his small pile. _I have only seven? Aww shit! Eleven more to go… _

He cursed silently as he secured the line and cast again. One handed. Smooth follow thru. Energy shot out and down.

_Perfect. At least I think so…_

The Goddess saw it as well. _Excellent! Now, you must imprint it. Remember…_

_BAM! WHIP! WHAP! BAM! BAM! SNAG!_ Fourteen down…

He breathed in and out deeply, and closed his eyes. With both hands, he cast his line. He could feel his energy humming thru his veins. The Goddess heard it as well as saw it. She sat upright and leaned forward slightly.

_Hmm… I did not anticipate that._

Inuyasha's aura not only was bright red, but it was surrounding him, traveling the length of the reed, down the hair, and into the water. He let go of one hand. The surface of the water rippled. He waited.

"Do you hear and see what I do as well?" Miroku leaned into the ear of the Goddess.

"If you see Poppet surrounded in an aura of red that leads into the water, aye. His energy hums. He is imprinting." She stated while watching intently.

Inuyasha waited for three beats of his heart. Suddenly his eyes snapped open, his muscles flexed, and one handedly he drew back.

_WHACK!_ The last four catfish were caught in one swipe.

"Wow—he did it! He caught four fish in one!" Shippou marveled.

Inuyasha wiped the sweat off of him and resecuring his clothes, gathered his pile of fish and walked over to the others. He dropped them on top of the other gathered pile and huffed.

"I supposed you want me to cook the sons-of-bitches as well?"

"If you are offering, but only after the firewood has been cut." The Goddess kidded.

"WHAT?!" he said incredulously.

"I jest with you. Be at your ease." She motioned for him to sit in the shade. She noticed that he was still humming as he sat, though it was subdued.

He noticed Tetsusaiga rattling. _What the…?_

"Tetsusaiga's rattling—what does that mean?" he said under breath, but she answered him.

"Your sword is imprinting your energy. But there is more for you to do."

"Imprinting? Is that what happened? Is that what I was doing?" It wasn't clicking, not quite yet.

"When you started to breath in controlled breaths, your mind opened. When your mind opened, your body responded. What did you feel?" she asked.

"Like I was in the water. No, like I was _part _of the water. Like I was willing the fish to come to me, all at once." He clarified.

"Precisely. Excellent, Poppet." _He has taken the first step, and the body and mind will follow now._

"But how does catching fish relate to me learning sword techniques?" he asked.

"In due time, you will be told. Again, there is more for you to do." _Very eager, but will he imprint as such?_

"Come. Let us cut the wood." She stood and grabbed the axe. Walking over to a good-sized tree, she placed her hand upon it and closed her eyes briefly. A small blue glow came from her hand and went into the tree. She opened her eyes and handed the axe to him then.

"Hold the axe with both hands. You will be using side strokes—like this." She swung an imaginary axe to the left side, to the middle, then to the right. But indeed, there was more to it. He noticed there were slight deviations in the strokes. One stroke was up and down, one was down and up. The center cut cleared away sections of wood.

She was switching her stance back and forth as well, balancing all of her weight on one foot at a time.

Right side—up and down. Left side—down and up. Cut in the center. Switch.

Right side—down and up. Left side—up and down. Center cut. She breathed in and out in rhythmic pattern too, feeding her muscles with oxygen before each cut.

She stopped and motioned to him to start. He looked at her quizzically again.

"What did you do to the tree beforehand?"

"Energy transference" was all she said. She motioned again for him to start, announcing that she would help clean the fish before gathering the water, and it would be the same amount of time spent on that then it would be for him to do his task.

He huffed again. _Energy transference? What IS this? This isn't training—what the Hell?_

He started hacking away at the tree in ragged strokes and breaths. The Goddess shook her head at him as she returned to clean the fish. _Shikata ga nai_, she thought. _He will learn._

Inuyasha soon tired of the fast hacking he was doing. His breath labored in his chest and it soon became hard for him to raise the axe. It didn't help being out in the blazing sun with sweat running down him again; it was now threatening to drip into his eyes. He had to remove his robe and haori again, shook his head free of sweat and continued.

_Damned. Annoying. Piss. Me. OFF!_

He was halfway thru the tree without noticing. He stopped and breathed deep, in and out again, then looked at where he had cut. He was amazed it hadn't fallen yet. He breathed in again, and his energy shot out with his downward cut. He switched sides and shifted his stance. _Breathe in, cut!_

His energy responded in a flare. He saw it that time. _What the…? _

He tried it again with an upward cut. _Breathe, cut! There it was again! A ha! Now I'm getting somewhere!_

His breathing became controlled again and his mind and body responded to the new task at hand. With each breath he made, his energy readied. With each cut he made and with each exhale, it flared and shot out.

Finally there was a crack heard from the tree. It wavered before giving way.

"Look out everyone!" he warned. The tree swayed and buckled, then snapped at the cuts and fell.

From her viewing spot, the Goddess smiled. _Faster than I thought, though that was an easy task._

Inuyasha crouched low and steadied his breath. He rested one hand on his hip with the other still gripping the axe. Again, Tetsusaiga responded. It pulsed. _Does it want to be drawn? What's going on?_

The Goddess got up once again from her view spot and approached him. He stood up slowly, now spent from using his arms in ways he hadn't before.

"Go. Sit under the shade and regain yourself. I will cut the rest." She drew out her sword and smiled.

He gathered up his haori and robe top, looking at her like she was insane. _She'll tear up that blade for sure if she's going to use it on the tree!_

Use it on the tree she was, but not in the matter he thought of. He strode wearily over to the shade and collapsed, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Tetsusaiga's pulsing had yet to cease.

The sound of lightning connecting with wood made him bolt upright.

"Yikes!" Everyone shouted in unison.

The Goddess' sword had pierced the tree at its trunk. She floated above it, directing the energy from trunk to top as she went. It split pretty evenly down the center. She proceeded to cut it in half again, but not with the same move. She hovered above the tree's center with sword held high. The gold lightning crackled forth and split into many forks, shattering the tree into the needed amounts with nary a loose piece. Like the tree had been previously marked out to cut in a perfect manner.

She landed and sheathed the sword. The group stared at her as she went over to the stump of the tree and placed her hands over it. Her blue glow of energy came out and into the tree. The trunk moaned and sloughed away its bark to reveal newly green bark. At the top, a small strip had begun to grow already in place.

"Poppet, release your sword. It seeks your new energies." She called over her shoulder to Inuyasha.

He stood up and grabbed the handle of Tetsusaiga. The power surged back into him from the sword as he drew it forth. When it transformed for him, he felt a small pull from it, and it sang like a tuning fork. Though he didn't understand _why_ it had transformed—there was no need for him to protect right now…

_Huh? What is this?_

"Are you rested now?" The Goddess asked. He nodded absently, entranced by his sword. He held it out, one-handed, in front and drew a figure eight in the air. It whistled in a melodious pitch. He stared back at his Sensei, who merely grinned the all-knowing grin.

"The water still needs to be gathered as well." She said. He nodded absently again, still entranced.

"What… did you do… to the… tree? And what's going on…" he trailed off, not sure how to ask his questions.

"Energy transference. Like what and how I did to the clothing to dry it? _Conduct_ is the knowing of how the energy flows. _Transference_ is the knowing of what to do with it. These things you have had a taste already today, hence why your sword pulsed. It sensed your new energies, and wished to be connected to them. That is _conduct_. When you drew the sword, you released your stored energy into the blade by the simple act of holding it. It acted by transforming, thus absorbing all that it could in its full form. That is _transference_."

She smiled, knowing that it was all clicking like electrical shocks in his mind.

He recalled how he felt himself _hum_, like he was part of the water while fishing. He knew when the fish would bite, yet he couldn't explain it. It was like… an instinct.

He remembered that same feeling when he was cutting the tree properly; for he had seen the small surges come from him and connect to the cuts in the tree. His own youki flowed from him and aided him in his task.

But he could not explain just how, or why, he felt so drained of energy afterwards when simple things like such shouldn't do that. Fishing and cutting wood shouldn't _drain_ you.

"Why do I feel so drained?" He asked, sheathing Tetsusaiga back.

"Energy transference is give-and-take. What you give will be taken, and given back to you in a different form. Remember: same energy, different form. There is a meditative technique I will show you on how to receive this at will, so as to not drain you beforehand." She walked towards him. He was still dumbfounded, but was starting to understand a bit more.

"What is left to do before I begin training?" He crooked his eyebrow at her.

_It has not settled in deep, not yet. Good. But he understands now. It is a start, and he learns fast. Two experienced so far…_

"The water has to be gathered, and the fish are almost prepared. Come, and I will show you how to do such as well." She bent low to grab the water-catcher and bucket, winking at Miroku, whose glint in his eye conveyed the sly thoughts to her.

He would have trained Inuyasha in the same manner, if he had her patience.

The two approached the stream where they had caught the fish before. Lady Death took the water-catcher into both of her hands while standing off to the side. She scooped up some water into the catcher and deposited into the bucket. Then, she shifted to the other side, repeating the move.

Her actions were long smooth moves, from the ground and up towards the head. But she didn't raise the move up all the way. She stopped about halfway, letting her wrists flip over the catcher in a quick motion to have the water drop into the bucket. Inuyasha watched very closely, it had seemed really simple to him at first, but there was more to it. The subtleties of it he almost missed.

He watched more intently as he saw it unfold clearly. She held the handle of the water-catcher with her sword arm on top until she got to the halfway mark. Then, she flipped her wrists over, offside wrist on top while the water dropped into the bucket. When she switched sides, the opposing move was done. The offside wrist was on top. When flipped, the sword wrist was dominant.

The more he watched, the more he saw. The action was a push-pull. The wrist on top _pulled_, while the one below _pushed_. Each maneuver conveyed an equal amount of energy, so no one side was receiving more of a work over the other.

She handed over the catcher to him. "Now, collect the water. Do not worry about spilling any. The action of _filling_ is more important than what spills or not." She hinted just a bit at what this was all about.

She returned to the shade and found all of the fish were now ready to be cooked and eaten. The firewood could be carried by all of them, or better yet, they could enlist the help of the Island children. Yes, she would do that, as they would be staying at the elder's house, and this was their way of thanks to Nanoka for such hospitality. The fish, wood, and water would be shared amongst them all for the duration of their stay.

_If we run low, we all know how to fish 'properly' now_, she thought to herself.

"How long do you plan to have him do these things?" Miroku asked the Goddess quietly so Inuyasha couldn't hear him.

"Until he tires of the same moves or asks how it is related to training again. There are a total of seven techniques I plan to teach him, along with meditating. You can assist in that, if you desire." She turned slightly to see her charge following her example in smoothly executed manners.

"One thing is for certain…" Miroku noted. The Goddess tilted her head at him questioningly.

"He will tire easily until he gets used to all of this. His way of doing things until now has been nothing but charge headlong first and deal with whatever happens afterwards. No thinking a thing thru before an action is taken. I can see already a change in him. I commend you on your patience." He bowed slightly in respect.

She returned his thanks with a nod. Inuyasha returned carrying a full bucket of water and the catcher, beaming like he knew what was going on. Perhaps he did, but…

The Goddess acknowledged Miroku while looking at her charge. He had stripped his mind open and his body was learning new ways now.

"There is more to come."


	13. Training, part 2: The Way of The Sword

Author's note: yes, it's been a while since I updated, but after "having it out with my Muse", we are back on track with this story now. Wonders what a small hiatus can do. :)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death, character(s) or story-wise. Inuyasha is owned by the very talented Rumiko Takahashi and her affiliates, as Lady Death is owned by her creator, Brian Pullido, and Avatar Comics (tm). This story, however, is an original from my mind. I'm receiving no $$$ for this; it's for entertainment only. My payment is your reviews.**

**As always, Enjoy!**

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Chapter 13

**Training, pt 2: The Way of the Sword **

_**(Interlude two: from the personal journal of Jaken, Vassal to the current Lord of the West)**_

_It has been almost one lunar month since that day. The day I felt "it". A great rift, an intense shockwave exploding across the lands like nothing I've felt before. Or, at least not in a long time. It was like that first time when I first met my Lord Sesshoumaru, out upon the battlefields. I had felt him coming our direction even before I saw him. I had felt his presence, and I knew that he was someone very powerful who could destroy me in an instant._

_I will never forget that day._

_But this feeling, this is very different. This rift, this aura, and this force…it is so powerful. I doubt that my Lord has even felt something this powerful as well. Perhaps not since his father, the Inu no Taisho, had passed, and I can only speculate how that must have been to him. But I must not be so bold and presumptuous as to think how my Lord Sesshoumaru thinks or feels—I am just a lesser demon—and even though I have served my Lord faithfully all these many years, I am still at his mercy. He never lets me forget it, either. I value my head attached to my body as it is._

_But I can't help but to wonder what is going on in my Lord's mind as I see him even now. He spends many an evening on the balcony of his private chambers, staring off into the direction of the setting sun, the far west. How ironic, as it is where a forest lies that he has let that no-good hanyou brother of his, Inuyasha, live in._

_Inuyasha is the most disgraceful and unthankful whelp, not even so much as simple notes of gratitude towards Lord Sesshoumaru, for letting him remain alive! I will never see how my Lord can go on day after day in knowing that his most pristine Inu youkai heritage has been tainted with the birth of that hanyou! But, my Lord has stated quite well that no one will have the privilege of killing Inuyasha than him—the rightful heir to Tetsusaiga!_

_The Tetsusaiga should have gone to Lord Sesshoumaru—he is the Firstborn! But how Inuyasha has it still to this day when he cannot even imagine, let alone understand, all the power it possesses!_

_I know that Lord Sesshoumaru will make his decision about Inuyasha and the Tetsusaiga one day. There are… more imperative things that warrant his attention right now._

_Yet, I digress. The more important matters of hand currently worry me more than that of whether or not Inuyasha is alive._

_It worries me, to see my Lord spending a lot of time on his balcony these evenings. I see him searching the skies; what he's looking for I know not. It is not as if he would ever tell me as well. I don't think he knows that I view his emotions even now as I write this, but if he did, would he confide his thoughts?_

_I feel he is so alone sometimes, and if it weren't for Rin (even if she's a flighty human girl!) and myself, I think he would have been much more of the cold-blooded and heartless killer that others make him out to be. He still is able to maintain an aura so intense, that to gaze upon his features would mean a certain and instant death. He has the same look right now, the look he displays towards his opponent before he so expertly dispatches them to their deaths._

_But it is somehow… different. If I concentrate hard enough, I can hear him sniffing the breezes from the Westerly direction… maybe he's testing the air for something? Or someone? But who could it be? Does he think it to be Naraku? That mess of demons and human flesh would dare to enter the Western lands, knowing it to be the domain of Lord Sesshoumaru?! How presumptuous is he!_

_But no, now that I think about it more, it might not even be Naraku. For if that were the case, Lord Sesshoumaru would not hesitate to kill that wretch! But yet, my Lord has stood where he is, day after day, watching the setting sun, testing the air, searching… _

_I have a very bad feeling about this. The Western Lands may be in danger!_

_**(End interlude)**_

"Nay not! Stop—enough! Your stance is off—square your footing!"

The Goddess of Death's voice boomed across the training field towards her charge. She lowered her sword and walked forwards, closing her eyes and shaking her head in frustration.

_By the Abyss, but he is exacerbating! Though he learns quickly, he still insists on doing things his way. I am reminded, yet again, of myself. How I must have tested Cremator and his patience during my training!_

She sighed, reminding herself that they were not so different. This half-demon boy, Inuyasha, held such a fire within him that she daresay it would rival her own someday. But on the day they met, he didn't have the power of his demon side to protect him, and this worried her thoughts as well. When Kagura had shown up, she felt compelled to protect him then.

She had met him while he was human, and even then, he held that same fire behind his very human hazel eyes. It intrigued her, the way he changed so magically when the sun rose, yet he had no control over it any more than she had control over her status as the Avatar of He Who Reaps.

They were not so different, further still, beyond the surface. He had been born into a world where neither side of his human nor demon blood was accepted. She was born a mortal woman who had given up her humanity to the horrors of Hell in order to escape a fate worse than death, only to become the living embodiment of it.

They both had lived with mistrust and persecution. They both were fighters. They both would not give up a fight until either their opponent, or they, were dead.

Though she was here by a quirk of the Nexus of All Things, she began to wonder whether or not her being here, in _his_ timeline, in _his_ realm, was not "an accident". It seemed that Death followed him where he walked as well. If she had the chance, and if He showed Himself to her again, she would inquire into the matter.

Perhaps their individual Chords of Fate had been intertwined?

"What am I doing wrong _this_ time?" Inuyasha huffed.

He looked just as frustrated as his aura appeared. His eyes held a steady gaze as she approached. Lowering his sword, Tetsusaiga, he realized that she must be thoroughly at the end of her limit of patience with him, and was thankful that it was only Kagome that held the power of "that dreaded word" over him. If his Sensei did as well, he most likely would not have any recognizable features by now.

Lady Death raised Apocalypse swiftly towards his head, which he blocked quickly with a diagonal upwards thrust.

_CHING!_

Rang the two blades as they connected. She was not asking her sword to stretch forth its power, and Tetsusaiga didn't respond as well. It was a simple thrust-and-block maneuver, used to test if one was truly off-guard.

"Good! You executed the 'Chop Down Tree' lesson to its fullest. Now, be wary of your footing." She stated as she placed a leg in between his and kicked out.

Inuyasha barely had time to look down and process what she had said when next his backside met the ground. She had swept his feet out from under him, the end result of her warning about his stance. He was off balance, and in doing so, had been easily thrown. She thrust her sword tip at the direction of his throat to show him how close he would have been to a certain death.

"Do you see now? How easy it was for me to unbalance you? How open you remain even now—your arms, your belly, and your very throat—exposed to the tip of my blade. What if I were charging at you, what is the action that you should have taken? What if my true intent were to lop off your head?"

She paused for his answer. His eyes searched unfocused, mentally trying to recall anything that he had already learned, or that she had taught so far. He found nothing, and once again was at her mercy.

"All I have to do now is step forward." Her voice did not betray her action as she leaned in.

"I don't know. I guess I'd be dead, if I weren't quick enough. Would you have really killed me?" he asked. He met her eyes, but was very aware of her sword's tip just a few breaths from his throat. She was so serious in her training that it was sometimes hard for him to tell.

"If you had been an enemy, you would be dead as you lay even now."

She lowered the sword tip slightly, letting what she said sink in. He understood it, and she had yet to display anything in her voice, her mannerism, or her scent that would betray her otherwise. He blinked his eyes; his silent motion conveyed his understanding to her lesson.

She removed the sword from his throat and sheathed it.

"Stay seated and rest your sword in your lap. It is the optimum position for your next lesson."

Inuyasha complied, and as he sat upright, Tetsusaiga powered down to its beat-up katana form. He let out a grateful sigh, and hoped that it wouldn't be mistaken for such. He found himself centering as he breathed in again, and closed his eyes. The White Goddess took note of this.

_How quickly he is able to interpret what it is that I wish of him before I mention it, and yet… is he? _

She began to circle around him as he sat, studying him, like that of a predator would do to its prey before the death strike. He flicked his ears in her direction as she walked around him.

"What are you doing?" he interrupted the lesson as he started to turn around towards her direction.

"Quiet. Remain still, and open yourself." She hushed him back to his meditative state.

"Listen only to the sound of my voice. Remember back to the stream, and how you were able to sense things, see auras, meld with another mind. The feel of the water as it flowed around, on, and over you—how it made you feel. Open up your mind, and let go."

He relaxed more as she continued her circling around him. Slowly, she withdrew her blade. His ears flicked in response, but he did not move. His energy hummed in a low vibe the more he let himself relax.

_Good, now to see if he reacts accordingly…_

"Think now of the _rising sun_. What action does it take?"

Quietly, she raised Apocalypse above her head, and prepared to swing. He would either react, or get cut.

_SHOOSH!_

Down came Apocalypse, aimed at his head.

_FWHOOM! CLANG!_

Tetsusaiga transformed as he swung the blade high over his head, blocking her strike. He quickly realized that he was at a disadvantage as she pushed with her weight against his blade, forcing it back behind his shoulders. His instinct was to clasp his other hand onto the blunt edge of the tip to balance, but in the position he was in, it was near impossible.

"Face me and stand, blades connected!" she commanded.

"That's impossible! You have the advantage!" he craned his head towards her.

"Nay so! Do, or do not. There is no impossible!" She bore down harder, bringing his sword arm to a dangerous bend to where he had no choice.

Inuyasha pivoted in his seat to face her, and hopped up to a squat. He saw now what she spoke of. He had regained his balance, and was now able to push back against her. Grasping the blunt sword edge with his offside hand, he used the power in his legs to push up, rising to a stand as he did. When they were face to face standing opposite each other again, she disconnected her blade.

"Well done. Think now of _drawing down the moon_. _HYA_!"

She swung at his head again, but from the top this time.

_SHING!_

Apocalypse sung thru the air towards its target.

_WHOOSH! TONG!_

Tetsusaiga met it with a resounding tone as he blocked her strike again, hands in the same manner. The two of them stood, each reading the other's face to gauge the next move. She crooked the side of her head and gave him her trademark grin. He prepared himself for whatever she had.

"Now, think of a _perfect circle_."

She slid the blade down towards the hilt of his, forcing him to hold his sword in both hands. She purposely held the connected swords high, another advantage she had over him, as she was taller. He had to overreach a bit, and Tetsusaiga's weight quickly bore down on his arms. But he would not give up.

He pushed back as much as he could, but his hold started to waver. She saw the opening and seized it. Bringing Apocalypse down further towards his wrists, it created a move so foreign to him that he found both of his wrists immediately rebelling against his mind to hold steady.

The Goddess swung her sword down and out to the left, causing Inuyasha to loose control of Tetsusaiga and send it flying from his hands again. It spun away from him in a circular motion. As he watched it sail thru the air, its movement suddenly hit him.

The motion his sword made in flight was just that—a perfect circle! He gasped, and shot his look at her.

She stood with her blade lowered, a slight smile on her face. _He understands the meaning behind the moves now._

"Hold that thought—I'll be right back!" He waggled his clawed finger at her before trotting after his sword.

When he returned, he held Tetsusaiga at the ready towards her. She readied Apocalypse as well.

"What are those moves again? Will you show me in a slower motion?" he asked.

She pointed her sword tip to the ground, and asked him to seat again, but this time facing her. He complied.

"The first one I performed was called Rising Sun. You executed it in almost a perfect manner. It is an overhead-blocking move used to deflect a blade that is aimed at your head, if you are sitting. It is difficult to block an opposing blade from behind, how'er you did well."

She took up her sword, and he readied his. "I will swing in the same manner, and you block my blade."

Slowly she swung the sword towards his head. He raised his to block, and studied the move.

It was like the rising of the sun, the move he performed. _Rising Sun, huh…_

"Good. You observe it now, aye?" she asked. He nodded while shifting his eyes between hers and the two swords.

"How do I block an enemy's sword from behind like I tried before?" he asked.

"It is nearly impossible, short of disconnecting your shoulder, to do such. It is best if you learn to anticipate the moves of your opponent and be quicker than them. How'er, you may find a way yet, Poppet. You are resourceful."

He quirked the corner of his mouth in agreement. She did have a point.

"The move… about the moon? Will you show me again?" He perked his ears forward to her.

"Drawing Down the Moon? Aye." She raised her blade in a neutral stance as he readied himself.

Once again, Apocalypse thrust thru the air towards his head. This time, she had both hands upon the hilt, and exerted more force behind it.

_SHOOWUM!_

Sang the blade thru the air. Inuyasha almost didn't catch her move, and in a knee-jerk reaction swung Tetsusaiga up and over his head to block her move.

_WHOOM! CHANG!_

His stance wavered a bit as their blades connected again. All of his weight centered on his left leg, and she used it to her advantage. She bore down against his side as he struggled to right himself, to get above her force, to meet her move to a more middle ground. He soon found his grip loosening again as the tip of Tetsusaiga dipped towards the ground.

"Think of your balance, Poppet. Where are you weakest right now?"

She stared into his eyes as he grunted his frustration against her moves. His right leg was shaking from having to bear all of his body weight to push against her, and his sword-arm was tiring again. If he didn't do something, and fast, she once again would be able to disarm him.

He let out his breath sharply, not realizing that it was being held as he pushed back against her with his might. The muscles in his arms were burning, ready to give in under the strain. His knee was threatening to pop out as he continued to oppose her.

The Goddess pushed harder, this time his sword tip was being pushed back towards him. His offside wrist now stung from bearing the weight of the two forces, but he would not give up. He was determined to at least release his block with his sword still in his hands.

"How… do I… get out of this?!" He roared in frustration.

"Did you not hear my instructions?" was all she replied.

Her voice rang again in his head. _"Think of your balance. Where are you weakest…"_

_That's it! I'm off balance again! That is where my weakness lies! _He realized at that point that she purposely had done this move to show him how to adjust his balance. He shoved his right leg forward in a hop that sent his left one back to replace his weight in a more advantageous way.

He was open to her now to execute a fatal blow, but he would be able to strike back and block her more effectively as well. He quickly thrust his left arm against the blunt edge of his sword's tip, and pushed, using his newly found support in his fresh leg stance.

"_Nnnngugh!"_ He gave one mighty shove and was able to push her advance back. She opened up a small space between them, then something in her demeanor changed. She swung Apocalypse in front of her, to her sides, and around her in a figure-eight motion, all with just her one hand. When she finished, she had squared her stance again and fixed him with a fighter's stare.

"Now Poppet, let us see how well you have learned your trainings. Come at me!"

Inuyasha balked a bit. Turning slightly to the left, he noticed that the rest of the group had stopped in their daily routine to observe. Kagome seemed very interested; her brow furrowed as if to foresee what was about to transpire.

_Is she serious? She wants him to charge her? What will he do? It is not his nature to charge against one who he sees as friend, and yet…_

He took a deep breath, focusing his energies. Tetsusaiga hummed in response, its blade glowing as its power was called forth. From his vantage, the White Goddess' aura was a whirlpool around her. An electric glow of blue-white surrounded her, trickling down to Apocalypse, changing to match the gold energy of the blade. She rocked from side to side slightly, readying herself for his charge.

Lady Death stood, waiting, and read the aura of her charge. His normal red coloring had changed, brightened, like that of when they had first sparred. But yet, something else was apparent. Small sparks of gold popped within the field. Her eyes glanced briefly down towards Tetsusaiga, where it emanated from.

_Indeed? Is this truly now what he has learned, the power of his sword combining with his own, or do they yet remain independent, neither one fully letting go?_

"We are not accustomed to waiting, Poppet. Do you fear?" she taunted him.

_PTAH!_ "Me, _fear_ you? Hardly. I don't wanna hurt you. You're a girl, after all, and my sensei…" He shook his head, uncertain.

"Then I shall give you an advantage. I will use only one hand. I will not ask Apocalypse to throw forth any energy waves; it will remain a… regular sword. Further, I shall remain grounded. I will not fly."

She removed her left hand, and gripped her blade closer to the hilt.

"Huh, pretty strong. For a _girl_." Inuyasha smirked. His confidence restored, he raised Tetsusaiga and charged.

When they neared each other, he swung down from overhead. She met his attack with a backhanded swing.

_CHANG!_

Her blade met his on the tip, and small energy clashes between the two combatants leapt forth. Inuyasha's sword wavered from the blow. He quickly raised it to block her move aimed at his throat. He surged forward in his steps, trying to upset her footing. With every step forward, she matched his with one back of her own, her eyes never leaving his, countering his moves as he swung again.

Apocalypse and Tetsusaiga battled each other for dominance with each connection, neither one willing to yield to the other. Inuyasha used all of the moves he had been shown so far, with the Chop Down Tree being the most used. Little did he know, however, that this move was also the one that expended the most of energy, and soon found him tiring.

He broke off his attacks; panting heavily, sweat running down his forehead.

_Damnit!_ He spat. _She has to have a weakness somewhere. Where can I gain an advantage? _In his frustration, he didn't notice that she had switched hands.

"I know me that is not all you possess in attacks, Poppet. Would you truly let _a mere woman_ beat you? How pathetic!"

Inuyasha snorted a drop a sweat away. _Fine, she wants me to fight dirty then, I will. But I'm getting rid of this damn hot robe in the meantime!_

Keeping one hand on his sword, he quickly removed the Fire Rat robe, tossing it off to the side. She followed suit, removing her cape. The two readied their stances again.

"I see me that you favor Chop Down Tree. Well and now. But you did not realize that by doing such, you would tire quicker. Pity." She grinned.

"Yeah? Fine fucking time to tell me that now!" He tossed his mane, shaking the annoying sweat off.

"Would you think me foolish as to tell you something when you are to _learn_ it?" She emphasized.

"She does have a point." Miroku whispered to the others. Shippou giggled, while Sango hushed him.

"Hey! I heard that! Not helping!" the hanyou growled. He cracked his knuckles, and readied himself again.

"All right, now. Let's dance!"

He started to circle around her now, eyes never leaving her gaze. She side stepped at first, and then crossed one foot over the other, shaking her sword back and forth in front of him. _Let us see how long until he notices…_

Inuyasha stopped a bit. He narrowed his eyes, shifting them from side to side. _Something's off here…_

"HUWAH!!" Lady Death swung at him left handed, bending at her waist to aim for his legs. Instinct made him jump unexpectedly to avoid being cut. He stumbled upon meeting the ground, not realizing that her sword edge would be there. His mind flashed the image of Gather Water, and he quickly swung Tetsusaiga underhandedly, blocking her next move that would have sliced him up between the legs.

"You wench! That was dirty!" he screamed as his temper flared. "I was being nice, now you've just pissed me off!"

"Then stop with your flap, and fight!" She hissed back. She raised her powers to their next level, and Apocalypse surged.

Inuyasha furrowed his brow. _What. The. Hell? I thought she said she wasn't going to call forth her sword's powers…_

"You said you wouldn't call forth your sword's powers. What is this?" he pointed to the increased wave.

"And I have not. I am one with my sword, as it is one with me. The more you hesitate and question, the more you open yourself to your opponent…"

"And what's with switching hands—you never said you'd do that?"

"I said I would fight you one-handed, true to my word. Does it confuse you?"

He stopped. Uncertainty clouded his mind and he backed away, sword lowered. _What is she doing?_

"You run like the _dog_ you are now? Where is your bravado, your fire? You know what it is that you need to do! Take up your sword and fight! STRIKE ME DOWN!" Her force shot forth and whacked him hard, upsetting his footing.

_Bitch!_

He gripped Tetsusaiga, and it pulsed. _I know what I'll do. I'll show her the Wind Scar!_

He waited and watched her energies. His focus soon saw the whirlpool of blue-white that was her own force as it snaked forth in front and around her. The energy of her blade caused a small fissure where the two forces collided and mixed.

_There it is… HA! You're going down now!_ He raised Tetsusaiga overhead.

"Uhh, is he going to do what I _think_ he's going to do?" Shippou questioned. He had risen to a stand from his sitting position to scamper behind Kagome. "He's gonna use the Wind Scar!"

"What? Has she _seen_ it? Does she know about it? It'll kill her!" Kagome panicked, and started to rise. She was stopped short by the monk's hand upon her arm.

"It might not. Let's just see. Besides, she is asking for his full potential."

The group stayed where they were, and watched warily. Inuyasha swung his blade down.

"WIND SCAR!"

_PREEEEEEE!_ Tetsusaiga connected with the ground and screamed forth its power towards Lady Death. Her eyes widened.

_WHAT?_

Quickly she centered her power to the forefront, and Apocalypse's wave increased. She braced for the impact.

The Wind Scar slammed into her force, causing her to stumble a step, but she held firm. Apocalypse asked for its power to be released, but she denied it.

_Yes—such power from him! This is what I wished to see, to feel_.

She felt the sword strain and waver in her grasp. _Should I let you go? Aye, I think me that I shall. Let us see what he does._

In the time it took for a heart to beat once, she raised her power just enough to protect herself, and let go. Apocalypse shot out of her hands as her energy quickly amassed to compensate.

_Gods above! I know not how much my power can hold off! And yet, should I fall…_

The Wind Scar slowed a bit, and she seized the chance. She clamped her power off fast and let the wave carry her. She was lifted up and went limp before she hit the ground, rolling as if unconscious.

When the wave of the Wind Scar had gone, Inuyasha was in shock. Three widened lines were ripped into the ground, fanning out to stop where they had connected with their target. Not far from there was Apocalypse on its side, and the crumpled form of Lady Death, motionless.

"SHIT! Oh shit! Fuck! What have I done? Kagome! Miroku! Sango!" Inuyasha ran with Tetsusaiga at the side towards his sensei.

_Oh Kami—what if I killed her?_

He reached her form before the others. Not sure that she was even breathing, he knelt down to feel her pulse. Before he touched her skin, she shot her fist at his jaw unexpectedly. It connected, and he flew back. She leapt up and grabbed her sword. As he hit the ground, she was upon him before he knew what had happened, blade tip thrust towards his chest. She stopped a hair's distance from going thru.

The group stopped in disbelief. "Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.

The Avatar and the hanyou's eyes met, and for the moment, all time ceased. Inuyasha realized he had been outsmarted again, and wary of the sword tip, slowly drew his chest up to take in a breath.

"Fly Like Arrow," the White Goddess stared into him. "Where is your death strike? Your finishing move?" Her eyes narrowed, waiting for his response. Nothing came forth but the sound of nervous shuffling from the observers. Inuyasha flicked his ears back as he made an attempt to sit up.

"I thought I had killed you." He whispered.

"And yet, here I stand. Yet again, you find yourself under the tip of my blade. Tell my why." She nodded her head up.

Inuyasha glanced around, unfocused, going over what had happened to have him under her sword again. She had asked him to give in to his fire and to strike her down, and he had complied. _Where did I go wrong? Did I go wrong?_

"I did as you asked, Sensei." He glanced up.

"And?" He sword tip remained.

"I should have told you about my sword's attacks…" he dropped his gaze, shaking his head.

"Aye, you should, but that is neither here nor there. Think." She tapped his chest with her blade.

His eyes shot up as if she had clocked him again. "You tricked me! That's the oldest trick in the fighting book—and I _fell_ for it! Son of a…"

"Always," the Goddess interrupted, "expect the unexpected. In warfare, there are no rules. You were defeated this time by a simple miscalculation, that being in underestimating your opponent. Your concern for my welfare is duly noted, yet had you been an enemy, you would be dead, again, as you lay even now."

She sheathed her sword, and offered her hand. Inuyasha reached out for it, but she withdrew.

"I wish for your sword." She asked.

He startled, not certain he had heard her correctly. As he leaned over to grasp Tetsusaiga's hilt, Sango questioned.

"Inuyasha, are you sure?"

"No, but Sensei wouldn't ask if she wasn't." He handed her his sword, blade towards him. She gripped the handle, and for the moment felt the snap of the repelling barrier. A small amount of her energy flared in response.

"Oh, you think to be a nasty little bugger, eh? I think not, Tetsusaiga." She mocked the sword as she said its name.

What happened next made Inuyasha's eyes widen. Lady Death gripped his sword into both hands, and urged forth another surge. Tetsusaiga flared and transformed with a mighty hum. It appeared to be larger, or was it just the illusion of being within the grasp of someone else?

"There you are. Aye, much more to your true self." The White Goddess smirked at the sword as she let go of one hand and swung it overhead. Tetsusaiga whistled, high and sharp, as it cut the air. She swung it around her left side, then her right, drawing figure eights in front again.

She held it aloft, and urged it to display its power with that of her own. "Show us, Tetsusaiga. Show him."

The sword responded with a blast of a gold field that rivaled her own blue-white. The blade shone brilliantly then changed to the red color of the Barrier Breaker. The Goddess heard a low rumble at the change.

_Sound waves? Indeed, but does he know?_

She pushed more of her power forth, and the two energies fought for dominance, the red glow surging down, retreating as the blue-white surrounded it, and blended with it. Lightning shot out of the force to arc back in, and as it did, the color of the auras changed.

"Whoa… look at that!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "It's purple!"

True to his seeing, the aura of the combined energies of the Goddess of Death and Tetsusaiga had formed a purple color. Lady Death closed her eyes, letting it swirl around her, lifting her hair up to dance around. She envisioned something within her mind's eye. It felt ancient and powerful.

_You are a brave one to hold the Tetsusaiga without a care to its barrier, woman. You have the blood of demon as well as human flowing in your veins, like him. What it is that you, calling forth its name, seek in doing such?_

She answered._ I am the Queen of Hell, and the Avatar of He Who Reaps._ _I seek only to show him what he is denying. That which lies within himself and in the blade. I seek to show him the Way of the Sword_.

_Indeed?_ Within the energies was a dark vortex. A rift of matter that bore the same signature as her blade.

Chaos.

A giant draconic head slowly came forth from the black and stared into her very being, eyes dark with an ancient power. _And in doing such, you seek to change yourself as well?_

_I seek to bestow a gift, for when he attains oneness with the sword, and can stand forth as my equal._ She opened her eyes and faced the dragon.

_Do you seek to change yourself as well? Nothing is given without an equal sacrifice in return…_

She hesitated. _What did it mean?_

_Ahhh, the Living Embodiment of Death does have doubts? One who calls herself the Queen of Hell doubts her own self, and yet, you see yourself so bold as to think you can wield the Blade of Hell, Sou'unga?_

She started. _How did it know?_

_I know everything, Lady Death. More than you would know of yourself at times. The moment you took up the Apocalypse sword, you became one with me. You know who I am, and so shall he. Be mindful of what it is you ask, for as you are a part of me, he is not. He must learn our ways, if you seek to bestow our… gift… to him. He must learn the Balance._

The draconic form and energy concentrated into a darker color before pulling within. It would not go where she had wished it. The time was not right, and yet her request was not denied.

The aura that was the blade's snapped within while her own returned. Tetsusaiga powered down to its beat-up katana form. The White Goddess lowered it, and was contemplative. _Indeed, I was not denied. The time is not right._

"What… just… happened?" Inuyasha blinked at the Goddess.

Lady Death lifted her gaze at her charge. "I… inquired… about your sword. But it is not to be. Not yet." She muttered the last part to herself, and returned his sword to his hands.

"You have a most unique sword, Poppet. But it still calls to you, and you still do not heed the call."

He returned her look with that of disbelief. "What? I don't know… understa…" his voice trailed off.

"Mayhaps, a different approach is now required. My lord monk, Miroku?"

The young man had been leaning against his staff, lost in the wonderful display of energies when the voice of their new friend snapped him back to the present. "Hai… Nozomi?"

"I, or rather, _we_, will require your assistance in Poppet's next learning."

Inuyasha back-stepped. "Ohhh, no—I've been doing fine with just you training me. I don't need or want a lesson in how to be a lecher!"

Miroku placed his hand over his chest in mock amazement. "Inuyasha, I'm hurt. Do you truly see me as such? And here I thought it was just Sango…"

"Well, if the robes fit…"

The two girls giggled. Sango blushed as the very same thought crossed her mind, wishing she had beaten the hanyou to the punch.

"Nozomi, what is it that you seek my skills in? Inuyasha is not so simple-minded as he appears…" he kidded.

The hanyou glared, hand on the sword's hilt. "Shut it, monk."

"Balance, my lord monk. Poppet's next step is to learn balance." The Goddess stated simply.

"How is he gonna show me proper footing when he only swings around a stick with rings on it?" Inuyasha pointed at the staff.

"Not balance of the body, Inuyasha," Miroku interjected. "Balance of mind and soul."

He flicked the tips of his ears, clearly at a loss.

"Meditation. Surely you have seen me in quiet reflection every morning and every evening?"

"Naw, I just thought you liked to sleep a lot. In weird, twisted positions. Like tree vines. And this is supposed to be for your mind and soul?" He squinted his eyes and shook his head.

"There are many forms of meditation. But if you wish to learn those specific poses…" the monk chimed.

"Ah…heh heh. That's okay." Inuyasha blushed at the image of "Tiger Scorpion Asana". _It looked perverted. Figures… _

"Your body is relearning balance now with your sword, and so you mind does follow. Teaching your soul will knit the three into one; thus, becoming one with your sword." The Goddess explained. She backed up a few steps, drawing her sword again.

Inuyasha readied himself; stepping forward away from the group, hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Stay yourself. Observe." She held a hand to stop his advance.

Lady Death tried a visual approach this time, one that she hadn't used since the time of the Judgment War. Holding Apocalypse, she focused her memories forth, recalling the very first time she held the Chaos blade.

"Every blade has but one master, or mistress, as every swordsman has but _one true sword_. There are a few who can, and have, mastered more than one blade. To do such requires extreme focus, patience, and dedication. It is a rare being who can wield more than one blade and have no ill effects."

"My father could. Three swords were his. Tetsusaiga, the Tenseiga, and Sou'unga. At one point in time, he was the most powerful youkai around, even without any of the swords. Or so I've been told."

Inuyasha reminisced on a part of him he knew nothing about other than what Myoga the flea, or the smith, Totosai, had spoken of in past times. Even Sesshoumaru held his father in high regards when it came to being powerful.

"Swords are more than just implements to deal death upon others with. They feel, respond, and are alive, thru you." She raised her power to show him, and her blade hummed, their auras separate in color at first, then blending into a muted shade where they connected.

_Why do I smell this scent every time she does that? It's different than her normal scent. What does it remind me of?_ His mind perked at placing a name to the smell, but it escaped him.

"To become one with you sword is to _know_ your sword. _Feel_ it. _Hear_ it. _Name_ it. Let it flow in, thru, out, and around you."

She slowly swung the blade into elongated arcs around her body, letting the energy of Chaos matter flow from its beacon. Apocalypse's energy ebbed and rushed in response to the motions of its mistress. The Goddess' eyes were unfocused as she relived her early training sessions with Cremator, millennia ago. She moved the blade thru its paces, letting the flow of energies go where they might. She changed hands in a direct manner in front of him, noticing that he was paying close attention to her.

"Do you hear, Poppet? Hear the wind as it connects with the blade, hear the blade as it slices between the air?" she asked.

Inuyasha looked at her when she spoke, then watching the blade closely, his ear tips perked forward, indicating his focus at the sword. His eyes followed her movements, observing how her wrist turned and twisted to accommodate the weight of the sword, watched how the sword's energy did slice the air as she described, leaving a small transparent trail in its wake.

His ears gathered the sounds of the sword as it sliced the air, flickering slightly as it imprinted into his mind. He watched the Goddess intently, pupils dilating as everything made sense to him in the way her movements were. His eyes snapped up to meet hers, the corners of his mouth curling up as a twinkled lit in the gold orbs.

Lady Death stopped briefly, and held her hand out, silently asking him to join her. He rose and stood by her, eagerly drawing out Tetsusaiga. She brought her sword in front of her, and he did the same.

"Close your eyes, and think of nothing but your sword. How it feels within your hands. How you hands feel when they rest upon its hilt. Let the energies go where they may. Open your mind, and let go."

He took in a deep breath, bowing his head slightly. As he exhaled his breath, eyes closed, his grip on the hilt loosened. He played with the weight of the sword in his hands, a slight up and down motion with his wrists. As he did, his aura responded to glow a brighter shade of red.

The White Goddess decided to try something completely different now. She quietly lifted herself into the air, keeping hers eyes on him, and lighted directly in front. His flickering of ears told her that he might open his eyes.

"What are you doing?" His brow furrowed. When he threatened to open his eyes, she tapped Tetsusaiga's tip with the tip of her blade, brining his attention back.

"Remain closed, your eyes. Tell me what you feel." She instructed.

"I feel my sword in my hands…"

"_I feel my sword in my hands_—of course you feel your sword in your hands! Do you not _remember_? How your eyes look, but do they _see_? How you hold items in your hands, but do they _feel_? How your ears hear, but do they _listen_?" She was close to smacking some sense into him at this point.

"Nozomi, if I may?" Miroku inquired, stepping forward. She nodded slightly and gave the monk her space in front of the hanyou. Inuyasha twitched his nose as the scents changed between the two.

"Oi, what do you have to show me? It better not be anything that I'll have to…"

"No, Inuyasha, you may be cute, but if you were to have dark hair other than the time of the New Moon..." he kidded.

The hanyou let forth a low growl while the others guffawed. Miroku's jibe was able to set Inuyasha's concentration back to being serious, and the monk thought of something he might be able to identify more with that would make his mind correspond to her teaching.

"How did you feel the first time you held Tetsusaiga? The first time you felt it pulse in your grip, the first time you saw and felt it transform? The first time you successfully called forth the Wind Scar? Or the Backlash Wave? Or the Red Barrier Breaker? Or Adamant Barrage? Tell… Tetsusaiga, yes." Miroku placed a hand upon Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Tell Tetsusaiga how you felt."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow again, remembering that there was more than one person present, and how silly he suddenly felt to be pouring out his heart onto his sleeve. "I'll try."

"Nay not. DO, or do not. CAN, or cannot. There IS no try." The Goddess commanded. She glanced at the others and motioned for them to remain quiet. The two girls and the kitsune sat again on the grass as quietly as they could and watched.

"How did you feel?" He heard her voice, asking him again. He gathered his focus in another breath, and recalled the time when he and his half-brother where inside the belly of their father, fighting over who was the rightful one to wield his most coveted sword.

"I felt, at first, that you weren't anything spectacular. You looked liked scrap. _This_—I thought. _What's so great about this—it's a piece of junk!_ But then, as I saw Sesshoumaru transformed into his true nature, and trying to kill Kagome, I just couldn't stand by and let that happen. I held you and charged at that bastard with you, but you didn't even scratch him. I swung at his form with all my might, and you glanced off of his sides. It felt like you were mocking me. Like they mocked me; the villagers…" he trailed off, sounding sad.

Tetsusaiga dipped low in his grasp, like the sword remembered as well that time.

Miroku blinked. _Is it remembering as well?_

"But then," Inuyasha continued. "After our fight had moved outside onto dad's shoulder, I realized that here _I_ was, here _he_ was, and there _you_ were. With me, by my side. And it was different. I thought I don't care how small I may be, and I don't care how beat-up you might be, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that son of a bitch hurt Kagome. She's the only thing that I can trust to call friend right now. When I saw her crying, I lost it. I didn't know what to think. So I told her to just shut up and let me protect her."

Tetsusaiga raised in his hands, apparently lighter, and pulsed.

"And you pulsed, like you are doing now. Yes, you remember now, don't you?" _And I remember now, too…_

"I charged at Sesshoumaru's form, determined to do something—anything—to stop him from hurting us—hurting her—further. You roared forth this power, like a clap of thunder had hit you, and grew. You connected with flesh then as you carried me up on this flow of your power. When I saw you again, you had come thru flesh in a burst of crimson, and you were changed. You were larger—you looked like a giant fang! You gleamed in the light, bathed in Sesshoumaru's blood, and you said _'Here I am'_!"

The sword pulsed harder. It asked for more.

"You were no easy thing to master. You were hard to swing, like I wanted to. It pissed me off to no end how often _Asshole_ tried to take you from me as well. But _you_ wouldn't let him. You forced him off every time he even got as close to touching you. He can't touch you still to this day. I think that not only was he out to kill me and take you from me, but he was out to destroy you for cutting off his arm then as well. I think he didn't want to _own_ you, I think he wanted to _break you._ Break your spirit, your fire, your life into submission, until you no longer had a will of your own."

Inuyasha opened his eyes, staring at the blade and its scratches, its bents, its imperfections, and smiled.

"But you wouldn't let him, any more than I wouldn't. When you broke in my battle with Goshinki—Naraku's incarnation—my heart dropped. I thought I had lost you. I ran to Totosai with you as fast as I could, and begged him to fix you. Make you what you once were. But you would never be what you once were. You were reforged with one of my own fangs… and you became… _a part_… _of me_…"

His voice slowed to almost a whisper as his eyes drifted to meet the gaze of the White Goddess. She stared intently, slowly her quirked smile showed. "Continue," she said, and the light of the setting sun shot down her blade as she placed it on her shoulder.

He nodded. "You were heavier, and harder for me, like you were testing me. Daring me to swing you now, daring me in defiance. I felt that I was fighting against myself. But you would not yield, and neither would I. Those two old cronies of my father's suggested that I go to the North regions, where I could find a way to make you lighter. They suggested that I pierce the heart of Ryukotsusei, my father's old enemy, who was sealed to the side of a mountain by him in his last battle. Then Naraku came, and freed the dragon. I thought _'Oh shit! What do I do now?'_ I honestly was scared. You had been knocked out of my grip a few times, and I started to fear for my life. I was transforming, but I knew that I had to get to you, regain your feel in my hands, and kill him! I fought against myself and my transformation, and the moment I had you again, your thunderous roar brought me back to my senses."

_B-BOOOOOM!_

The sword let forth a long pulse as it recreated the event, and grew.

_FWHOOOOM!_

"Yes, that's just what you did. Then I saw the fissures, multitudes of them. The dragon shot forth his youki along with a blast from his mouth, and I swung you. Your energy was greater than before. You met the dragon's blast in an explosion and pushed back! Back into him, back from where it came from! I stood and watched in amazement as you became the dragon's youki and ripped him to shreds!"

He whooped. He swung Tetsusaiga one-handed around a circle at his side, and the blade sang. "And you gleamed brilliantly as you did sing then like you do now."

_SHIIRRROOOOMM!_

The blade cut the air again as it left its energy wake in a long spectacular trail. Inuyasha stepped back and swung it overhead, to his sides, behind his back, faster with each swing, relishing the sounds of the sword, the scattering of air as it was parted, the feel of their energies as they connected. He swung figure eights in front of him, one handed, each turn a little bit faster than the last.

"What do you call this blade?" A voice asked him.

"I don't call it anything. Its name is Tetsusaiga." The blade glowed brilliant red, transforming to the Barrier Breaker.

He slowed his paces then, watching the red glow blind his vision slightly until he focused away. He thought to himself.

_Should I show them your Adamant Barrage—how spectacular that is as well?_

Without being called forth, the blade encrusted itself with diamonds. They jutted across the sword like icicles, reflecting the last rays of sunlight into the eyes of the others. He aimed the blade away from the group and raised it high.

"ADAMANT BARRAGE!"

He swung the blade hard into the air, aiming at an imaginary foe. Tetsusaiga shot forth its spears, gleaming wickedly with their promise of rendering asunder all that opposed as the light kissed each flying shard. The group watched as they flew into the twilight of dark, rivaling the first twinkling of stars.

Inuyasha was lost in his memories as the sword returned to normal. He was so distracted momentarily that he did not see Lady Death approach. She swung Apocalypse from its resting place at her shoulder and down towards him. He instinctively swung Tetsusaiga backhandedly and connected. The blade was at full force, and snapped with a loud clang against the opposition. He squared himself to face her.

Lady Death turned her head, remaining her eyes on her charge. "Clear yourselves away."

The group gave a large breadth to the pair and settled again. Miroku leaned in to the girls and smiled.

"I think he understands now, what it means to become one."

Inuyasha and Lady Death stood with blades connected, both vying for the other to submit, each other's powers flaring in defiance. The White Goddess quirked her grin, and noticed how his demeanor had changed as he returned his own smirk back at her, and raised his internal powers. Tetsusaiga surged brightly.

"Indeed? You think you can best me? Vain and presumptuous are you, aye?" she taunted.

He shot back. "Only one way to find out, huh?"

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	14. Thru the Void

Author's note: This chapter was originally titled something else, but in the process of writing it, this little bit snuck in. I decided to include a brief snippet of the next chapter to come at the end of this one. Call it your "sneak peak". O.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Lady Death, character or story-wise. Inuyasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and her affiliates, as Lady Death is owned by her creator, Brian Pulido, and Avatar(tm) Comics. This story, however, is an original created by my Pantheon of Muses and myself. I'm receiving no $$$ for this; it's for entertainment only. Your reviews are my payment. As always, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

**Thru the Void**

* * *

The night of the full moon was upon them now. A little over two weeks of a crash-course in sword training, body developing, and mind stripping had led Inuyasha and his pack to this moment. The moment when the visitor from an unknown realm would have a first hand viewing of what Shard hunting and collecting was all about.

It had been decided between Lady Death and Inuyasha that the best vantage point for viewing the anticipated creatures was within a farmhouse nearest to the crops. If the creatures stood true to what the farmers said, then that is where they should be.

The evening meal that night consisted of more Ramen. Kagome had secured ones that already had curry flavor within them for the White Goddess, as she relished its flavor. Inuyasha made sure to stay clear of his sensei while she indulged.

Earlier in the day, Lady Death had mentioned that she was going to survey more of the area. She seemed edgy and overly guarded, but wouldn't disclose why. Sango and Kagome had picked some wild rice from the nearby paddies to go along with the Ramen, while Shippou, Miroku, and Kilala caught more fish. Inuyasha had spent the day with the twins, Roku and Dai, and Shion from Horai Island, showing them how to cut down a tree for more wood. He even showed them the techniques he had learned in the process, now that they were second nature to him.

"Brother," Roku began, "what or who is this evil… person, that I hear you guys talking about? The one who is trying to steal the pieces of the Jewel you are looking for?"

The hanyou stopped his woodcutting, leaning forward onto the axe handle. He took in a centering breath, letting it out with a popping sound. _I didn't wish for it to come to this moment. They should not be involved… _

"He is a most tempestuous, vile, and wicked creature, young one. Pray tell that you shall ne'er meet him." The voice of the Goddess announced as she came thru the tree line not far adjacent to the field.

"Oh, hi Lady!" the three kids chimed.

"Where the Hell did you get off to?" Inuyasha nodded his head in slight annoyance.

"Over protective of my fare now, aye?" The Goddess raised an eyebrow. She stopped by her charge and surveyed the scene. Glancing up at him, she motioned for Inuyasha to walk with her a bit away. They walked out of earshot of the three kids before she spoke.

"From what I have seen, the way into the fields here is from a path just beyond those trees there. Since we all have a strong feeling that the creatures will hold true to what Lady Nanoka has said, then it would be most well of us to remain in the closest dwelling nearest to the fields. The element of surprise will be with us, as the full moon will rise above those mountains behind us there."

She motioned over his right shoulder. He glanced over it, and turned back her way. "How do you know this?"

"Call it an instinct, Poppet. Does not the full moon affect you as well?" She lowered an eyelid questioningly.

"In a way, yeah… I guess. Not so much as it does on the new moon night." He twisted his brows thinking.

"Oh? Pray tell, then, so I am not surprised." She didn't like the feeling of any secrets kept, no matter how small they might be.

"_Ahh, heh, heh._ Well…" he stammered, scratching his ear. The Goddess' face went icily cold, as she knew he was trying to brush something off.

"Normally, nothing much happens really. My blood seems to be a bit more… how would I say it… _charged_? More energy seems to flow thru me than any other night."

"Could it be because of your youkai half? It would hold truth to me, as it does for me." She divulged.

"What do you mean?"

"The full moon has many unknown powers over many creatures, Poppet. You and I are no different. We are both half demon. I would think me, in the events of the new moon having the power to turn you human, that the opposing effect of the full moon would hold true for your demon side as well."

He gasped. He had never thought about it really until now, but it did make sense. "And Kagome's coming into heat as well. Shit."

He had a slightly panicked look on his face, and he absently fiddled the loose trappings of Tetsusaiga's hilt. "So, what happens to you, if anything?"

The Goddess eyed him. "You do not wish to know."

"Oi! Come on! I've showed you mine, now you've got to show me yours!" he teased. "You said the same holds true for you, now what is it? Do you turn into a hideous beast?" He lowered his voice an octave and raised his claws in a mock gesture.

She smacked his hand away. "Do not mock things you do not understand."

"Well, what is it then?" There was a pause as the two stared each other down. Before long, Inuyasha knew that she was holding something in, and he remembered the slight changed in her scent, the way her brow knitted just so above her eye as she scrutinized him in return. He had her now.

"It was you yourself, Sensei, who said that we should not hold any secrets amongst us, so long as I was in your charge. Is it not so?" He straightened.

_Oh Gods Death… he has me at an advantage now. Fie!_ Her features soften. "Aye, 'tis true."

"Please? Whatever it is it can't be all _that_ bad?" He turned on his puppy-dog charm.

She huffed, and waved him off. "We do not have the leisure for this." She stepped passed him to head towards the house.

"Oi, wench! If you're to be part of my pack, then you'll—"

_FWASH!_ A blinding wave of Chaos energy shot towards him.

_FWOOM! CLANG!_ He was prepared for her to do such, Tetsusaiga meeting Apocalypse with its own surge. Underneath the two connecting blades, the owners stared each other down.

"MUST you INSIST on these ridiculous mind plays? Is your brother as the same?" she spat.

"Who—Rat Bastard? Naw, I'm more open." He snickered. "We don't need to spar over it, just tell me what it is."

The White Goddess disconnected her blade, letting it power down. She stepped back a bit, locking her aura around her tightly. _I do not think so. Just try and…_

"You're shutting yourself off. Don't do it. I can read you, Sensei. I know your subtle signs. The slight changes in your scent, your facial features, even your aura, 'cuz you're doing it right now." He sheathed his blade.

She started. _What?_ She let her aura loosen slightly, and sheathed the Chaos blade.

Inuyasha walked calmly towards her. "You know, there ain't a need to be stubborn towards me. Someone else already has that title. If I can place my trust in you, then you must do the same, hai?" He noticed the attention of the kids was drawn towards them. He smirked. "Plus, we don't wanna fight in front of the kids, now, do we?"

Her eyes flicked to the three. Shion clearly looked concerned, while Dai and Roku looked anxiously on, waiting for a good brawl.

"Inuyasha! Nozomi! Dinner's ready!" Kagome called from the farmhouse.

"We will speak of this later. And you will NOT speak to me in that manner again, or you WILL find your tongue upon the ground!" She hissed at him.

"Hai, Sensei." He chuckled. "C'mon you three! Let's get to the stream quick and clean up!" he called to them as he trotted off, leading the way.

… _and his brother is worse? Gods death! Have I forgotten that Poppet is part dog? Or have I truly spent enough time amongst his company for him to indeed be able to read me even now?_

She shook her head, refusing to believe the more than obvious truth. Inuyasha had indeed learned all that encompassed her. He would equal her power in no time, and they would be ready to take on Naraku. But they could not do it alone. She planned to strengthen Kagome's skills with the bow and arrow, maybe show her the sword as well?

_I must give this more thought. If Mistress Kagome proves better with the bow than the sword… wait! The kit! He could do well by the sword. He is of the same size as a page. A small sword would do for him._

She snapped her fingers, and her Shard appeared within her palm. She stared at it for a few moments, and then curled her fingers around the Shard, making it disappear once again. _Hmm…_

The last vestiges of Helios' Chariot gave way to Night's cloak, and with it, Selene began Her ascent.

A few hours into the night, and the moon had reached its zenith. The entire area was bathed in an ethereal glow so bright that torches would not be needed. Crickets rivaled for the attention of the moon's magic as it danced upon the ripples of the stream with the light breeze blowing. Only fireflies shone brighter as they glided along the edge of the forest.

A pity that the Island trio had forgotten they had nightly lessons, and had to return to their own shack.

Inuyasha and Lady Death had taken up their usual spots nearest the door and the weapons. Both seemed to be on edge, and took turns evaluating the other over their dinner. Shippou was on his stomach, feet up in the air bouncing back and forth, and had his nose in a coloring book Kagome had given him. Lost in thought—his usual spot. Sango had set to work looking over the Hiraikotsu, checked the straps, its edges, testing its balance. She would grab a polishing rag that set in her lap from time to time, working over some of the well-used areas. Miroku sat, meditating; his staff perched at an angle across his lap, while Kagome poured over her Calculus book.

The night was peaceful, but it was tense in the body of Lady Death. She had never known a peace like this. It was too quiet, and she found herself glancing quickly out the door too often, sending her senses out into the air for any oncoming threats. Inuyasha rebuffed her tension by letting out a sigh and reclined, propping his head onto his bent arm. He drummed his claws against his leg, glancing at his sensei.

The skulls in the middle of her top gleamed with the moonlight, and he soon had to look away, realizing just what he was looking at. Glancing up, he noticed her attention was once again out into the world.

"Relax, would ya? You know that saying about a watched pot…"

"I am relaxed, Poppet." Her gaze continued outside.

"Huh—could've fooled me. Your aura's so thick around you at times I could cut it with my sword, then it shoots away like one of Shippou's tops! Be still! They will come."

"Inuyasha, Nozomi might not have had an opportunity to truly be within a peaceful night such as this. Remember, she is not of our realm, and she's had to fight every day of her known life…" the monk intervened.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she has all this pent-up energy that she needs to expend on something. Y'know, come to think of it, my Rat Bastard half brother acts the same way sometimes as well… huh." He worried his chin with his hand as the Goddess slowly turned his way.

"Truly, you jest as to suggest that _I_ am like this brother of yours…"

"Half brother, and yeah, you are. In a lot of ways."

_PTAH!_ The Goddess turned her attention out the door again and listened. She did her best to shut him out.

Inuyasha grinned, and sat up. "Let's see… you both love swords; well, not that THAT'S anything major… you both have this _'lock it down and away'_ part about you when you think anyone is going to pry into what you call private,"

"As it should be." She said.

"Whatever. You both have a never-say-die way in your mannerism that it will be to the death, if either one of you meet the other,"

"He will kneel at my feet before I will at his." She smirked, and remembered her battle with Asteroth during the Judgment War.

"Doubtful. You two are too evenly matched. I'm the only one that might ever have a chance of beating him."

"You have not beaten me, Poppet. Not yet. As far as I observe, the only advantage you may have is your sword…" Her attention was back to him.

"And that's _exactly_ what he would say too! You two are perfect for each other!" he whooped.

"Inuyasha, aren't you forgetting something here? Sesshoumaru's a full youkai… Nozomi is, for all intents and purposes, a half demon that looks human? And you know how he feels about you, what makes you think he would ever be anything different towards her? Or even like her? What are you getting at?" Kagome questioned.

"Oh come one, Kagome! Haven't you been watching all this time? The way she works her sword? Her mannerisms? If you take away the markings, put on a skimpy black whatever-it-is outfit and a pair of boobs, and change the gender, it's fucking Sesshoumaru as a woman!"

"Poppet, clearly you are depriving some village of its idiot. And I know not what you suffer from, yet I think me it is hard to pronounce."

"_BWAHAHAHAHAAA!!!"_ Inuyasha rolled into a fit of laughter. Shippou looked up from his coloring book and stared blankly. Kagome turned towards Miroku and Sango, blinked, then all three looked at Lady Death. The Goddess stared.

"Is he always as such?"

Kagome answered. "Actually, no. Usually on the night of the full moon, he gets really protective around me. I've never seen him like this before."

"That's because your scent is so strong right now it's driving me crazy! It's all I can do right now to _not_ react on my instincts." He got up onto to his hands and knees and inched his way over towards her. She bolted into a sitting position.

"Inuyasha? Are you okay?"

"Never better, and I'm just making fun." He grinned as he breathed in deep of her scent, closing his eyes. A low rumble echoed from his throat. Kagome looked at his eyes when he opened them, and a slight gasp escaped her throat. They were tinged slightly with bright red, and a slight impression of his youkai stripes could be seen. She started to back away, and could hear Sango and Miroku on their guard.

He held up a clawed hand, the claws being an unusually longer length, and spoke low to Kagome. "I'm fine, don't worry. It's just the full moon. But ya have to admit, knowing that it affects me, as a half demon, then it is affecting her, as a half demon as well." He shifted his eyes towards his sensei's direction.

Lady Death wrapped her cloak around her, her attention still outside. Kagome watched as her aura came into focus. "She looks so tense."

"She just needs a good… _workout_."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome mock-shoved him, setting his balance off.

"_Urrrrr_… playful are we? I'll remember that." He crooked an eyebrow and grinned.

There was a fast movement at the doorway, and Kagome's attention snapped forward. Sango and Miroku stood up, having noticed it too. Inuyasha turned around.

Lady Death had quickly shot into a crouching position, her hand reaching behind to secure her blade, releasing the peace-tie on Apocalypse. Her gaze was fixed out of the door, her balance upon her sword hand.

"They're here."

The group quickly but quietly worked their way out of the farmhouse, the White Goddess being the last one. The element of surprise would not be with them if the Shard-bound creatures noticed her first. It was bad enough that she would glow under the moonlight.

Sure enough, there they were. Two boars, and three wolves. One wolf being larger than the others. The boars set about rooting thru the fields as soon as they arrived while the wolves circled around the livestock. The oxen started to low, sensing the danger.

"Kagome, which one has the Shard?" Inuyasha whispered. She focused her gaze on them as a whole, stretching out her senses. The Goddess did as well, if she held one of these things, perhaps they reacted when around one another?

They both focused on the larger wolf. "That one, over there." they said in unison. Kagome glanced over her shoulder at the White Goddess, suddenly remembering that she too, held a Jewel Shard. Not only that, but she could sense mystical auras as well.

"Well, glad to know that you both are on the ball." Inuyasha chuckled.

"Are you going to be okay? With all this… energy you have?" Kagome questioned.

"Yeah, I told you. Don't worry about me. Let me worry about you. You do whatever you can, but stay safe. Sensei?"

"I am well, Poppet. I think me I shall take on the larger wolf."

"And leave me out of all the fun? No way." He argued.

"Shhh! They'll hear us! It doesn't matter, so long as we get the Shard." Kagome suddenly felt like she was babysitting, without getting paid. It seemed to her that the reinvention of "pack dynamics" was going on, now that Inuyasha was comfortable with Lady Death as part of his "pack".

Lucky for them, Shippou stayed inside with Kilala to guard him, too afraid of the larger wolf to join them in the quest. The element of surprise would not have worked otherwise.

The White Goddess and Inuyasha decided that since the wolves posed the worst threat, it would be better for the two of them to fight together. Lady Death had her own ways formulating on how to obtain the Shard, and she hoped that Inuyasha would not just kill the wolves outright.

Wolves held a special place in her heart. She missed her Nameless Wolf, and shook the image out of her mind as she tightened her aura around her to keep from detection.

But these weren't ordinary wolves, or boars. Normally, the two groups wouldn't travel together, as wolves are predators and find boar to their tastes. Nor did either one of the four-legged animals walk on four legs. They all walked upright, and had seen the advantages in working together as a unit. The boars were experts in digging under fences with their tusks, and finding fresh crops, where the wolves had keen eyes, sense of smell and hearing that could detect dangers the boars could not. Wolves also brought in delicious flesh that they gladly shared in exchange for the boars' tenacious nature in fending off weapons with their tusks.

Being around the Shard for just the short amount of time had given them all extraordinary powers as well, especially the wolf that held the Shard. As the larger wolf swung his head around to scout the area, Kagome knitted her brows when the full wave of the Shard's presence hit her, it reacting to Lady Death's piece. She glanced at the Goddess, whose attention as on the wolf. _Does she know as well?_

The boars' tusks were as long as an elephant's, Kagome noticed, and were bigger than they had imagined. She was certain Inuyasha could handle them, but what about Nozomi? Had she come across things just as large and frightening in her realm?

While Inuyasha and Lady Death crept towards the livestock and the wolves, Sango and Miroku worked their ways around the two boars, careful where they stepped, lest something give way and alert the quarry. They stopped short when one of the wolves suddenly shot its head up and looked around. The larger wolf, the alpha, looked in their direction, and growled. Inuyasha froze, his eyes flicked towards the Goddess. The boars now alerted as well, sensed Sango and Miroku. Squealing loudly, they charged.

The two subordinate wolves rushed forward and split apart, one after Inuyasha, the other after the Goddess. Snarling with teeth bared, the one after Lady Death leapt into the air, readying its claws for her throat. She stood her ground.

Inuyasha's sword flared immediately from its sheath, and he smacked his wolf away with the broad side. His attention flashed towards his sensei, concerned.

"What are you doing? Draw! It's coming right at you!"

The Goddess raised her hand. A bolt of blue-white shot out, knocking her attacker back. She continued walking toward the alpha wolf.

Inuyasha's wolf attacked him again, but his reaction was too slow. He swung Tetsusaiga at the wolf's jaw, which bit down upon the blade, and jerked. The sword flung from his hands and away, transforming back.

"Let's see how well you fight without that, shall we, half-breed?" it snarled.

_Damnit!_ He flexed his claws, and silently thanked the full moon for their slight elongation. "Bring it on!"

Sango threw the Hiraikotsu at one of the boars, leveling its tusks. Miroku narrowly escaped being shredded by leaping above the other's tusks. Upon coming down, he forced the rings onto its head, purifying it.

"One down, four to go." He panted as he rushed to help Sango.

The alpha wolf spied Kagome as an easy target, who was readying an arrow. _She has no real damaging weapons, save for her bow and arrows, which can't kill me. I have a Shard of the sacred Jewel! _He rushed at her.

"You, woman, look soft and weak. You will feel good digesting in my gullet!"

_I can't fire an arrow! He's too fast!_ She screamed.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. He would not reach her in time, being in a battle with his own opponent. He shot his head towards the Goddess, her eyes on the fast approaching alpha.

Lady Death's reaction was lightning fast. She grabbed Apocalypse and threw.

_THOCK!_

Landing into the ground before Kagome, the sword flared into a wave of fire as the unsuspecting wolf came down seconds after. The alpha hit Apocalypse's barrier hard, and howled. "What manner of weapon _is_ this?"

While her back was turned, the wolf she had knocked away seized another chance, and threw itself at her back. It dug its teeth into her neck and locked its jaw. Its claws gripped around her chest and stomach and ripped out. The Goddess' blood flowed.

Inuyasha set loose his claws upon his wolf, gouging a deep slash across its face. The wolf swung its balled fist and connected with his jaw.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango's weapon sliced the wolf in two, it disappearing into dust. Inuyasha ran for Tetsusaiga, and stopped.

There before him was his sensei, being ripped by her attacker. The Goddess reached behind her, grabbing a handful of fur, and pulled forward, dislodging the wolf from her back. She held her attacker by the scruff in front of her.

"Do you like the taste of my blood?" her eyes flared.

The wolf grinned. "That's just the be—" His sneering cut short. "Aaahhh! AAH! AAAAAHHH!!" His hide started to smoke, his skin bubbled, and he writhed in pain. Blue-white energy shot forth from openings created within.

"I'm on fire! Brother—help me!" But it would do no good. In a matter of seconds, all that was left was a gurgling mass of bones and hair. The Goddess shook her hand and clumps fell.

"Give my regards to the void." she said. She focused on the last two targets, and the Shard. Inuyasha ran to her side, and readied his sword. The other boar quickly joined the alpha wolf's side, bewildered at the strange sword that still flared a wall of flames in front of the young miko as the forms of Sango and Miroku joined on either side, surrounding the two enemies.

"Stand back! I'll finish them off." Inuyasha yelled, raising his blade for the Wind Scar. A hand grabbed his wrist.

"Stop. It will not be needed." The Goddess said, her gaze still at the alpha.

"What are you saying? They're demons—corrupted by the power of the Shard! That one especially tried to kill Kagome!"

"They cannot touch her. Apocalypse will not allow it." She let him go, and continued walking to retrieve her sword. She stood in front of Kagome, sheathing her blade.

"Give up the Shard, and your lives will be spared. If not, you will face the same fate as your companions."

"HA! What can you, a mere woman with a flaming pig-sticker do to me? Witness now the power of the sacred Jewel Shard!" The alpha turned over its shoulder to its ally. "Ready?"

"Ready." The boar said. The two demons turned into each other as the alpha slammed a fist into his forehead. The Shard reacted in a flash of brilliance, and covered them in light. When it subsided, there stood before them another threat.

"By the Abyss!" The Goddess said.

The two had merged. A wolf with tusks, claws in the front, and cloven hooves in the back. It laughed in bravado at them.

"Rush them!" Kagome yelled, and fired an already notched arrow. It flared to life with pink energy, and sunk into the demon's side, burning a small hole. The demon snarled and yanked the offending arrow out, instantly healing itself.

Sango threw her weapon, which was easily batted away. The demon shot a blast of energy from its mouth at her. Miroku jumped in front, thrusting his staff into the ground at the last minute. The blast hit his sacred barrier and deflected off.

"WIND SCAR!" shouted Inuyasha, releasing the blaze from Tetsusaiga. The demon raised its claws, and shredded the wave of energy.

_What?_ The Goddess noticed a familiar feeling. _No being, enhanced by extraordinary powers or not, can shred energy waves like cloth. Unless…_ She felt her trinket pulse in reaction to the piece within the demon. O_f course!_

"He is using Chaos energy." She muttered. "That must be what makes up part of the Jewel, in it's corrupted form." She drew Apocalypse from her side, and the blade flared with gold waves. The attention of the demon focused on her.

"Ahh, nice trick, wench. But no mere fire-blade can harm me, so long as I have the power of the Shard." It threw its claws towards the Goddess, razored and aimed for her already opened flesh. Inuyasha charged.

"HYA!" Lady Death swung her sword with full force. It connected the claws with a loud clang, slicing one off. The demon backed off to be hit in its side by Inuyasha's blade. It grabbed the hanyou, blade and all, and squeezed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, and fired off another arrow. It sunk into an unprotected part of the demon's belly and flared. The demon roared. It turned towards the miko, its claws spread.

"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha shouted. He mustered enough strength to turn the point of Tetsusaiga down and slammed into the demon's wrist. The hide cracked, but no blood flowed. _Oh shit…_

Miroku threw sutras into the already open area of the demon's belly. The wound spread more. Lady Death leapt in front of the demon's claws, putting herself between Kagome and razored points. She aimed for the underside of the wrist and slashed, her aim true. Apocalypse bit the demon's flesh, and a black vapor rushed out.

"Miasma!" Sango yelled. "Quickly!" She ran with Miroku and grabbed Kagome. Looking over her shoulder, she called.

"Lady Death! It's poisonous gas!"

"Get out of there! You'll get killed!" Inuyasha yelled at his sensei.

"Like Hell I will!" she retorted. She launched herself skyward, while the wrist of the demon flayed, spraying its toxic fumes randomly.

"You can't handle it!" he tried again at her, ramming his sword's point into the gripping wrist that held him. The hide broke open and more miasma flowed. He held his breath as the hand loosened its grip. Dropping to the ground, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the others were safe. He coughed a bit.

Lady Death joined his side. "Neither can you, Poppet." She clutched her side pressed hard, causing her blood to flow.

He flinched. "Are you all right?"

"Heh. Certainly. This demon is using the energies of a Shard corrupted, and I am well familiar with them." She said.

"What do you mean?" he blinked. The demon laughed, and he froze.

"He is using Chaos energy. The same that makes up Apocalypse." Lady Death divulged. "My blood, combined with the blade's power… why are you like stone? Can you not move now?"

"No, that's not it. I know that laugh."

They turned towards the demon. It broke apart at its wrists, revealing tentacles. As more of the body fell away, it revealed white hair, and a simian head.

"Naraku." Inuyasha sneered.

The Goddess started. She readied her sword, but was stopped. She stared back at her charge, whose eyes focused on the squirming mass.

"Inuyasha, I see that you have a new addition to your… _litter_. How charming she is, and how lucky you must feel."

"Lucky? Shut your mouth, bastard! What are you spouting?" he shouted. Sango, Miroku, and Kagome gathered around.

"A pity you won't be needing this." He held out his hand containing the Shard. A small swarm of saimyoushou came forth and carried it away.

"Enough talk!" the Goddess shouted. She leaped upwards, her bloodied hand smearing her essence along the blade. Apocalypse's fire blazed like the Red Barrier of Tetsusaiga. She focused her power thru the blade and her blood and swung. The tentacles reared, but were shredded by the Goddess' power. She slammed the blade into the heart of the pelt covering, and it exploded.

"AHAHAHAA!!! Foolish woman! It will take more than a bloodied sword to kill me. But I will welcome the challenge, the challenge to break you and make you mine!"

"Bastard! You shall have nothing but your death from me!" She fired her power thru the sword, but too late. All that remained was a small wooden carving wrapped with hair.

"That's not Naraku. It's a demon puppet!" Sango said.

"A puppet? By the Abyss!" The Goddess strode over towards the figure. She bent low and picked it up, letting her fingers work over the rough cuts and the bits of hair, imprinting it. "He is more clever than I had first thought. Kagura is not like him, nay?"

"No, Kagura is but an incarnation. A tool, like what you hold in your hand. A puppet to the master." Miroku explained.

_A master of lies, like Lucifer._ She fumed, gripping the figure. Her power flared, and turned it to ashes. "He is a coward to not face his battles."

"What's that crap about _making you his_? What the Hell?" Inuyasha spat. She didn't reply. Something within her seethed, and her mind raced with the images of long thought dead memories.

"Inuyasha, think about it. Why else would he want Nozomi?" the monk asked.

"Because of her powers, duh!" he mocked.

"Nay, 'tis not that." She replied. Turning around to her bewildered friends, she clarified. "Or, more precise, 'tis not the only thing."

"What? What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked.

"He desires more than my powers, Poppet. He desires not only to unite the Jewel to whole, he seeks to use it in a full state of corruption. To become a god." _But I sense that is not all he desires._

The group gasped. "How do you know this?" Inuyasha quirked a brow upwards.

"Imprints, from his hair. Energy will hold in an object until it is released, either by the owner, or one who knows how to feel it."

She walked a bit away from the group, drawing her sword. "It is time that I call forth your full power once again." Raising it high above her, the sword surged in a gold flare. A rush of wind formed, surrounding her. The group ducked low, avoiding the currents, and watched.

The White Goddess raised her powers forth. Lightning shot out from the blade as the flare grew. Gripping the hilt in both hands, she cried out.

"Apocalypse, I call upon you! Open the gate between worlds! Open to me!"

She swung the blade into an arc in front. There was a sound unlike anything the group had heard before. To some, it was like a scream. A scream of primordial voices, crying out as their thin barrier was razored apart. The wind rushed forth into the forming void.

"What is _that_?" Inuyasha gasped. He stared into the center of it, but all he could see was blackness. But, he could sense something just beyond the precipice. Something that stirred images dark, ominous, and frightening. _The Sou'unga blade!_

He watched as she stepped forth to the edge of the void and stop. Rushing forward, he yelled. "Where are you going?"

She stood at the edge, her eyes closed. "It is time that I claim what is mine, as Hell's rightful ruler, and put an end to this one who thinks to overpower us."

She faced her charge and opened her eyes at him. "He believes he can become immortal? I shall show him immortality." The void snapped with powers so ancient, to try and fathom it would be to go insane.

"The Sou'unga blade will be mine." She turned her head into the void, placing one foot inside. A loud whoomp noise ushered forth.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand. "Don't do this! We can defeat Naraku _without_ Sou'unga!"

She stopped, and turned her head towards him. She flicked her eyes down towards her hand, clutched by his dog-like claws. "Release me."

"You don't know what powers that blade has! I _do_! At least let me come with you!" he pleaded.

"That is a chance I alone must take. I am the only one who can. Do not try to follow me. Hell is not a place for you." She turned her head again towards him, the rest of the group slowly formed behind, gazing in awe at the vortex.

She tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Lady Death—Hope—please! No good will come of this!"

"Inuyasha,"

He started. She had said his name. For the first time since she had met him, she had not once called him by his name.

Until now. "You must stay, and protect Kagome. Release me. We both know I must do this." She focused behind him as he slowly let her go.

"Nozomi…" Kagome whispered. Inuyasha slowly backed away from the void, and towards his pack.

The Goddess placed her once held hand into the void, and another noise came forth. There was no feeling inside, only the sensation of being pushed forward by the wind. She turned to the group once again.

"I shall return. You have my bond, as a warrior, and by the blade that is my life." She gave them her smirk.

Tightening the grip upon Apocalypse's hilt, she stepped fully within, and disappeared.

* * *

_(Preview of Chapter 15)_

She hadn't though that the short time she had spent in the slide-dimension of Feudal Era Japan would have been enough to make her forget the very place that birthed her. It was insulting, to be here, amongst these sights and sounds; the thought that she once was the epitome of everything this place stood for, it made her seethe with disgust.

"Now there is a face that I thought long gone from your thoughts, Hope."

_What?_ She snapped her mind clear and in front. The voice was a dry rasp, a whisper upon cobwebs as it slipped from its host and lighted into the mind of Lady Death. As she focused thru the smoke, a figure in dark came to form.

_Very_ familiar form.

"You…"

* * *

**TBC...**


End file.
